Guardian
by ashleysweetlywritesx
Summary: After getting involved in an embarrassing and very public love triangle, former indie wrestler Chara Wright swears she'll never step foot in a ring again. As fate would have it, WWE offers her a contract she can't refuse, performing as Sister Abigail. Now, she's forced to face her fan-favorite ex-and the man she cheated on him with every single day. OC/Styles/?
1. Visit

**I don't have time to write another fic when literally Yours to Hold is my number one priority. But I can't help it! This idea came to me at work today, and I've been silently writing this in my head all day so fuck it, let's do it.  
**

 **That being said, I've deleted some of the stories I don't feel are up to par or I've outgrown as a writer. I'm sorry, fam. In any event, I'll provide with a full summary for those that are lurking as it didn't fit in the little box FF. This is going to be a fun ride, and I can't wait to be the driver for ya'll. Love you's!**

* * *

 **SUMMARY:** As WWE watches their ratings slide week to week, WWE Creative is in a bind. Where do they go when nothing seems to work? The Divas Revolution has fallen started to deflate, and the talents they thought would work out just...haven't been. They finally decide it's time to introduce a character fans have been vying for since the beginning of the Wyatt Family: Sister Abigail. They scout high and low for the woman that should play her, but come up empty-handed. That is, until Triple H catches wind of the issue and has the perfect person in mind.

Former indie wrestler, Chara Wright, opted to retire from the business at a mere 26 years old. Physically, she was golden. Mentally, she was destroyed. From Ring of Honor to the short stint in TNA, Chara is untouchable and uninterested. She knows better than to go to the big leagues, where everyone knows what she did. Where some of her old buddies are now. Where... _he_ is.

 **A/N: I decided to use in ring names mostly to avoid confusion. Here she goes!**

* * *

 _July 6, 2016: Bridgeport, West Virginia_

"Jesus," Chara grumbled as she got her ass up off from her couch to answer the incessant pounding on her heavy wooden door. She was _busy,_ man. The newest season of Orange is New Black had her mouth hanging open for pretty much the whole bit. How she hadn't noticed it had been added to Netflix was beyond her. Giving a quick pet to her black cat, Gypsy, who lay stretched out on the coffee table, she shuffled towards the heavy door which, unfortunately, did not have a window to peek at the rude, interrupting asshole that thought they were ever-important.

So, she slightly opened it, peeking around the corner. Her mouth turned upward in a knowing smile, and she shook her head. _This was fucking nuts!_

Rather than invite the older gentleman in, she began to close the door, making it clear she had no interest in talking with him. But he wasn't taking no for an answer, weaseling his hand between the frame and pushing it open, causing her to spring backwards as he now stood in full-view.

He looked much older than Chara recalled, though still a rock-solid body played underneath his gray sweater. It looked expensive...probably cashmere or some other material that richie-rich folk like himself would shop for. His hair was shaved, but his beard was beginning to gray with time. His eyes were tired, and she wondered how long he'd traveled to get to her. She wondered why he'd even bothered.

"Well, well," she clicked her tongue, folding her arms across her chest. "Check out what came crawling to my front door." She stood apprehensively, using no manners whatsoever and not allowing him to past the front hall. She wanted him gone. She wanted to crawl back on to her couch and snuggle under the blanket Mickie James had made her when she'd gotten knee surgery.

"Chara," the man responded with a quick nod. He was standoffish, too; the pair watching each other and sizing one another up curiously. She had half a mind to threaten the cops on him, yet she couldn't help but be intrigued by his persistence. With a defeated sigh, she gave a harsh eye roll, finally dropping her hands and motioned for him to come sit at the granite counter that jutted like a bar in the center of her condo's kitchen.

He grinned, pulling out one of the bar stools before he pulled up his dark, perfectly pressed jeans before sitting. She wondered if he thought that he was dressed down, given that he normally wore expensive suits and ugly ties during business interactions of any sort.

She grabbed a bottle of water from the top shelf of the refrigerator, offering it to him. He took it, and she cracked herself open a Bud Light.

"What? I feel like I'll need it for this conversation," she responded, noticing the surprised look he wore etched on his face. He shrugged, and she sat across from him, taking a sip and relishing as the ice cold amber liquid slid down her dry throat. Neither of them spoke for a long period of time, and each of them avoided locking eyes.

 _So awkward._

"So," she said finally, irking one of her eyebrows up. "Is this normal for you? You call a million times, get no answer, and then show up to the prospect's house unannounced?"

The man gave a gruff laugh, shaking his head. "Chara, I am well-aware that you don't think you have any interest in the WWE. I know you believe you've hung up your boots. But I've got to try."

Chara laughed at him. Legitimately _laughed._ "Oh, Hunter. You're a funny man."

"It just so happens we've got a real, solid offer that would be silly of you to refuse."

Chara shook her head. "No way. I left on a sour note. I don't have the itch to get back into the ring. I'm getting old, and besides...you've got a really nice thing going right now. Becky Lynch? Charlotte Flair? Sounds to me like you've got it covered. Besides, I _really_ don't need the WWE."

Hunter tapped his fingers against the countertop, as though considering her words. "Perhaps not. But to be honest, I think that the WWE is going to need Alyx," he used her ringname strongly, knowing that it would catch her attention. That name held such an awful connotation with it that she had hoped nobody would ever utter it again.

"Ah, I see that caught your attention," Hunter smirked, knowing he'd struck a nerve. "You can't keep running forever, Chara. You've got grade-A talent. You've been everywhere, except with us. You ought to show the world what you can really do."

"What's that? Show off my tits, fake a love story? Really, Trips, I'm not interested. I know _exactly_ the stupid shit the WWE does with their talent."

"I understand that jeer, Chara. I do. But I personally have appointed Mick Foley and his son, Dewey, to write this angle for Smackdown. It's a good one, and I can promise you that much. I'll tell you about it, if you'd like. But it's a rather deep, complex storyline. I think you may have interest in that part. Not to mention, it's very, very advanced writing and would take a skilled person to pull off something like this. Which is why I chose you."

After a little more protest, Chara agreed to hear out this big, shining idea that Hunter had. She listened as he explained the involved characters, some folks she knew and some that she didn't. It was dark, twisted, and chilling. It was everything that Alyx wasn't.

"Why me?" she asked after he'd explained who she'd be working with and a general idea of how long they'd run the angle for. "Don't you think that I've ruined enough lives?"

Hunter gave a small, sad smile. "You haven't ruined anyone's life. At least, not yet. But the longer you sit at home and dwell on the things that you can't change, the quicker you'll ruin your own. You have so much untapped talent, and you and I both know that. You say you've done it all, but you haven't. You haven't been in front of a Wrestlemania crowd. You haven't gotten the paycheck you deserve. You ought to be a household name. You're good enough, so be with the best." That last statement sent shivers down her spine, and he extended his hand to shake hers, as though they were closing on a business deal.

She ignored his outstretched hand, standing quickly to toss her now empty beer bottle into the recycling bin. "I don't know, man. Also, how in the shit did you find me here?"

Hunter shrugged his shoulders. "People talk," he said simply. Chara kept almost no connection to anyone from the wrestling world, so that meant it was either Mickie James or...

 _Nah, couldn't be._

"Exactly," she responded, still ignoring the motherload of all offers. "People talk. And I know damn well the giant albatross I've got around my neck, weighing me down!"

"That was a long time ago...I think everyone's over it. And besides, a life-event like that is good for a character, even if you don't like it. Just look at what it did for Edge's career..." Triple H continued talking, and she listened with no real, genuine interest about two people she didn't know. Oh, sure, she'd heard the story.

"Now, what do you say, Miss Wright?" She snapped back to reality, now realizing he'd finished his short stroll down memory lane. Damn, this guy sure was a pushy dude.

She sighed heavily as she returned to her stool, burying her head into her hands. "I hear what you're saying. The storyline is...well, I don't hate it. It's everything that Alyx would hate. _Miss Priss_ ," she said nasally, rolling her eyes at the stupid nickname the fans had given her final character during her Ring of Honor run.

"Exactly. You don't need to pretend to be something you're not. You're sad, and you've changed. But that's not always a bad thing."

"So I would go to developmental, correct?" she asked, smoothing her half blonde, half black and ridiculously trashy-looking hair along her muscled shoulders. "Straight to NXT, shake it up a little bit there?"

"For a month. Only to get acquainted with the WWE style of wrestling, because as you know, it's much different than that what you're used to. It's crisp, clean, and flows...at least, it should. You're not going to be hitting your opponents with a bag of syringes on our promotion," he warned her, taking a cheap shot at something her character had done to the fairly well-known TNA anti-diva, Daffney.

"That was a storyline!" Chara argued. "Daff was supposed to be into drugs, and it was supposed to be funny!"

Hunter shook his head. "I know what they were trying to do," he said matter-of-factly. "But it's not funny, and it's no surprise that a moron like Dixie Carter would think it was a comedy show. I've lost friends to drugs, you know." He took a long pause, as if reminiscing. He cleared his throat before speaking again. "In any event, the storyline we'd like you in is mature, and we need it done properly. If it's not, then it's just silly. 'Supernatural' is a hard story to tell, but I know you can do it. You've got the in-ring skills to make this work. I've seen what you put on in Japan with Asuka."

"But the character is so far from what I'm used to," she argued, feeling herself losing this battle. She had ignored the name-drop of Asuka, her hardest opponent she'd ever faced. It was flattering, in a way, that he'd actually done some homework on her past. Yet, it was unsettling; she had sworn up and down that she'd never sell out to Vince McMahon or to WWE. She knew better than to run with that company after she did the unspeakable things that she'd done, hurting everyone that gave a flying fuck about her in the process. People that she'd never spoken to knew what she'd done. Shimmer Wrestling had cut her after a week, despite her being the most advanced on the all-women roster.

She just was...a social leper. She often told herself and anyone that would listen that she'd opted for early retirement because she had hurt herself. Truth was, she couldn't handle the whispers. She couldn't handle the hate. The fact that people took sides. The fact that everyone took _his_ side...and rightfully so.

"I agree with you there. The snob that had the rich dad gimmick was one that you played out for so long, that it's no surprise that you feel it's _become_ you. But maybe leaving Alyx in the rookies is what we ought to do here. You've lived your life a little harder now, and the blonde sweetheart that everyone used to see is long gone. Yeah, you've got the wrestling down. The character, though...you're halfway there. Instead of be someone you aren't, why don't you dig a little deeper and be the person that you've become? You've got a chip on your shoulder. You've changed because of it. Why not release that, and show the world who Chara is?"

Biting her lip, Chara closed her pretty green eyes before speaking again. "Chara is dead inside," she responded, immediately wishing she hadn't. It was too much of an admission. Yet for some reason, she couldn't stop speaking. "She left when _he_ did," she said quietly, hating that she'd opened up as much as she did to someone with such prestige.

Hunter beamed at that, though; his eyes lighting up. "And that's _exactly_ why we need to light a fire on Smackdown. We need a good, solid heel character to put up against Becky Lynch. Sure, we've got Alexa Bliss, but she's still very much developing her in-ring skill. Natalya is interested in jumping ship to Monday Night. So, we've got room for you there to do something that no other woman has been able to."

"What if the fans don't have interest in me, though?" she asked, pointedly. "If it all falls flat, then what?"

"Chara, you were trained by AJ Styles. He's easily considered one of the best, if not _the_ best, wrestler in the world."

"Yeah, I'm aware," she snapped, hating that she was still linked to her trainer in such a way. But she'd done that to herself.

"My apologies," he said quickly, a slight flush on his cheeks. "I know it's not easy-"

"Carry on, and make it quick," she demanded, "You've already been hanging around longer than I'd intended to hear you out for."

"The fans will care about you because you were trained by one of the greatest in the world. That in itself is proof that your wrestling style will back you up. This character will take time to develop, but in the mean time, at least you're no pussy in the ring."

Grumbling, Chara finally asked the details of this pending contract.

"Friday, I'll set you up with a flight to WWE Headquarters. We can hammer out monetary details and creative differences there. I'll have Talent Relations get hold of you tomorrow, and we'll get this ball rolling in the right court. What do you say, now, Chara?" His massive hand extended outwards once again, a look of desperation settling in his eyes.

Defeated, she muttered how it was going against everything she'd believed in; that WWE had ruined the art of wrestling and creativity. But...the possibility of being a real ground-breaker hung over her head like a rain cloud. She could do much more than she'd ever thought possible for the sake of women's wrestling with an opportunity of such magnitude.

She took Triple H's hand in her own, giving it a small shake. She felt like she'd actually just done a deal with the devil, and she idly wondered if earlier in the year, AJ Styles had felt the same. He, too, had always relentlessly avoided Vince McMahon and his henchmen. He'd been very particular with his talents and where he would align himself with.

Before heading out the door some time later, Hunter turned to look at her in a serious matter. "I'm putting every ounce of faith I've got in you, Chara. Please don't do me wrong on Friday. Don't opt out, don't make me look like an asshole." He was panicky, almost; and she realized that to him, this was something of dire importance. And although she wasn't particularly fond of the NXT forefather, she had immense respect for the things he'd done for the business itself, including bringing some of the greatest in the world to the largest wrestling promotion in history just so the world could see and respect the things the non cookie-cutter men and women were doing inside the squared circle.

"I won't," she said dryly.

"Also, please dress up for the business meeting. I know I caught you at home, so it's acceptable to wear sweats. But I don't think Mark will be as kind to your choices."


	2. Beginnings

**Shout out to the lurkers, those that have followed this story, and to Armbar Nation for a good, motivating review. (I have lurked on your stories before!) I love the idea of bringing in a Sister Abigail character, and I'm so confused as to why they haven't in real life. Fans want it, and it'd give more depth to women's wrestling. Anyways, I know that some people aren't sure I'll continue this one...but I will. Feel free to keep an eye on this. You guys rock.  
**

 **A/N: For this, I use WWE trainer Albert's real name, Matt Bloom.**

* * *

 _July 8, 2016: Stamford, Connecticut_

Her heart still pumping with adrenaline, Chara emerged from the conference center of the WWE Headquarters with her head held high. She was still a little bit of a nervous wreck, besides for how well things had just gone for her. In fact, Chara was so ridiculously happy, she could cry.

Her hands shaking yet as she slipped into the rental car Hunter had arranged for her weekend-long stay, she pulled her phone from her clutch bag she'd brought along to the meeting, which was adorned with crystal skulls. Professional? Perhaps not. But the way it seemed was that the WWE really needed a solid woman for the role they'd presented her, and were somewhat willing to look past some of the things she did and said in unprofessional manner. In fact, the only person that scoffed at her bag was the blonde chick at the reception desk, Tiffani with an 'i', who needed serious help contouring.

Going through her contacts, she thought about calling her mom about the amazing opportunity that she'd been given. But she'd done a swell job cutting ties with her family back when she'd chosen to cut ties with _everyone_ , the embarrassment of the... _thing_ she did so overwhelming that the last resort at repairing her life was to run away, leaving her past where it belonged.

No, she had passed her mom in the contact list a long while ago, and now, her thumb hovered over one name in particular. Despite the awful fallout back during her Ring of Honor days with him, she had a real hard time deleting him from the contact list. She hadn't spoken to him in at least three years, yet she couldn't find it in herself to delete the number and the goofy contact picture along with it. It had occurred to Chara before that he'd likely have gotten a new number by now, but she found herself clinging to the memories.

 _If she could only take things back..._

It was pathetic, actually. She'd dated around a little bit during her bit of time with TNA, and last year, she'd heard rumors of him dating an NXT newcomer. Chara was happy that despite the hurt she'd caused, it seemed he'd been doing relatively well for himself. His last few months on the main roster had been everything she had heard him wish for in the past. And now, it was her turn to be happy...she'd actually _succeeded_. Yet, here she was, sitting outside of the WWE Headquarters with the largest amount of guaranteed money she'd ever had in her entire being...but nobody to tell. She wanted so badly to call him and hear his voice, revealing her good fortune, but her heart remained heavy and sore whenever it came to him.

Chara had always heard the lame line that "there's always that one person you never fully get over." And after all these years, she still believed that to be true.

Quickly, her brain began to overtake her heart, and she closed her contacts quickly, trying to keep herself from tearing up. She reminded herself that she had chosen to remove herself from her old friends and colleagues' lives. She knew she had caused a storm, and she knew the victims still hadn't forgiven her for ripping through and taking everything with her.

Yes, keeping to herself had bits of loneliness, but it was better than seeing the constant pain in his beautiful eyes whenever she was around. Stepping away from the ring had its perks for her emotional state. Staying out of bullshit and drama had gotten her this far, anyway.

As the car took her down the main road, she watched as the lights passed by in a blur. Though she would only be in this city for a couple of nights, she was still anxious to return home. This place was too busy, too flashy, and truly everything that she hated.

Focused on some gross titty bar on the corner the car was stopped at, her phone began to buzz, indicating a new notification.

 _Who in the hell would be talking to me?_ she thought to herself, knowing that her circle was very, very tight. Unlocking the screen with a quick swipe, it turned out that the notification wasn't a text message from someone wishing her well, but a notification from the Twitter account that she literally never used. Rather, forty-seven notifications from Twitter.

"Oh, no," she muttered to herself, realizing quickly what had happened. WWE had posted... _tweeted_...that stupid picture of Triple H shaking hands with a new signee, just as they always did. And people were now aware that she'd signed a contract with the largest sports entertainment company that existed. Quickly taking a peek, she was suddenly followed by thirty new people and ten more notifications were mentions of her by the jackass that ran the WWE's Twitter account. And, sure as shit, there she was smiling in her grungy business attire, her hair hanging in her face and her makeup darker than she'd realized. But, she was shaking hands with Hunter himself, and it was unmistakable what was going on here, even though the caption was quite mysterious. _**CharacoalFights lights a fire at this business meeting.**_

Below that were hundreds of speculations, and some users aired their grievances about her. Some were very nice and supportive while others...well, others put her on blast. Deciding she'd seen enough of social media for the day, she stuffed her phone back into her clutch, pressing her cheek against the cool window of the car.

If she wanted this to go well, she was going to have to get a tougher skin. It was highly probable that nobody was going to be happy that she was there.

* * *

 _August 12, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee  
_

"Alright, Chara, get out of the ring, dammit," AJ Styles grumbled, a quick wave of his hand dismissing the promising young woman who, as fate would have it, was lucky enough to have connected with him. AJ had seen some sort of potential in her, and began watching her in the ring regularly. Eventually, they would work in the ring together, and he was clearly impressed that she could keep up with him.

Frustrated, the pretty young woman got out of the ring that she'd been working in, sparring with Tara, who was formerly known as Victoria back in the WWE. While she knew she could wrestle circles around the crazy woman, she found it hard to focus with her trainer standing on the apron, trying to yell moves at her and call the match. She knew that Styles was interested in pushing her to the level that she was capable of, yet she found herself annoyed by his condescending tone. She'd been wrestling since she was fourteen, and before that she was busy in gymnastics. Somehow, though, he'd always found a way to make her feel like she was less than good enough. Like she had no clue how to take a fall, or perform the simplest of moves.

"What did I do wrong this time?" she complained, pushing her long, freshly-highlighted blonde curls out of her face. She slid on her butt under the bottom rope, joining her trainer on the floor mat. AJ shook his head, clearly annoyed with the tone she'd taken with him. But she couldn't help it; he was a pro at awakening the defensive, angry beast within her. Sometimes, it was motivational. Today, she just wished he'd leave her alone. She couldn't deal with the nagging, with the picking-apart tactics he'd been using.

"You're working stiff," he explained. "Look. Your last loss, scripted or not, looked real bad. Just because you are working with someone who isn't as advanced as you are doesn't mean you can slack on your end. It's _your_ job to make the person you are up against look like an honest threat. That means selling moves, taking digs, and allowing the other person to go over even if you don't like it."

"What does that matter? Nobody gives a shit about the females anyways. Be real, Styles, they all came to see you."

AJ smiled, not one to turn down praise. "Maybe, but don't you think you ought to be a pioneer in changing that? Not to mention, I wouldn't be spending my off-days here, training you, if I didn't think you had something special. The least you can do is make me proud to call you a protegee."

"You should be proud of me," she quipped. "I've been pulling off stunts that women wrestler's haven't done before in a long, long time."

"That's nothing if you don't have the charisma to go along," he drawled, walking away from her. "Don't let your successes get to your head. People come to shows to see something special. To see a soap opera, in a way...but with good, precise movements and someone who really makes them think, 'Damn! Did you see that?'"

Chara scoffed, flexing her biceps arrogantly. "You mean they don't come for this?" she played, giving her arm a quick kiss before winking at AJ.

"Cute, Char, but no. They either come for a good, believable show or they come for the tits. Which would you rather give them?"

Pretending to think that one through, she batted her eyelashes as she rested her forefinger on her chin, feigning deep thought. "Well, seeing as this is not Vinnie Mac's show, I suppose it's better that I give them a reason to watch with my wrestling."

"Good. And that's why you're here, and not there. Now, get your ass back in the ring and make Tara look like a million dollars without selling yourself short."

With a quick, cheery salute, the young blonde hustled back into the ring that the 'veteran' awaited, bouncing against the ropes and practicing tumbles solo.

Chara turned back for only a quick second to lock eyes with her trainer, adoration in her eyes. He could get under her skin like no other, yet somehow he knew exactly what to say to make her realize that there was more to this business than jumping off turnbuckles and showboating. It was one of Chara's only downfalls...but she really didn't want to disappoint this man, either. After all, even though he himself was sidelined with a shoulder injury, he was taking time to coach her through the psychology of a match.

His icy blues held on to her eyes for a moment, a small smirk edging on to his face before he told her to hustle.

Maybe she hadn't seen it before, because she'd been so wrapped up in her boyfriend lately, but he was _hot._

It was then, she would decide many years later, that she should've known there was trouble brewing.

* * *

 _July 25, 2016: NXT Performance Center; Orlando, Florida_

"So that's the one?" Matt Bloom, who was recognized in the WWE as 'Albert', pointed discretely to the totally out of place woman who had entered the ring. She looked both confused and at home all in one; but she carried herself as though she had nothing to prove. She didn't; after all, she'd technically already been signed to a Smackdown contract. Despite that, she had slowly gone into the ring as though it was the last place in the world she wanted to be.

"Yep, that's her alright," Sara Amato confirmed with a quick shake of her head. "That's our Abby."

Matt looked thoughtful for a moment, slowly nodding his head. "Interesting. I like it," he admitted. "I'm interested in seeing what she can do."

Sara turned to him, her mouth twisted in a half-smile. "You mean you don't know?" she asked, surprised. "Come on, Bloomer. If Hunter went and personally went to find her, there's a reason."

"I don't doubt it," he commented. "But why run away from the WWE? People would _kill_ to be offered the role of one of the biggest character reveals of the New Era."

Sara laughed, never keeping her eye off from the crowd of ladies in the ring doing their stretches. "Well, just like her trainer, Chara needed a little bit more of a goad."

Matt went silent suddenly, turning to face his co-worker with confusion. "Chara?" he asked, saying her name slowly. "What is her ring name?" he asked quietly, trying to not make a scene but also knowing that he was seconds away from hearing the very response that he hoped he wouldn't. Chara, after all, wasn't exactly a common name.

"Alyx," she muttered under her breath. "You know her, don't you? I figured you might."

"She came to Japan while I was heading out," he responded. "Yeah, I know her. AJ Styles' side project. She's much different than I remember. She looks angry. I remember her as the pretty little princess that just happened to pick up on wrestling quite well."

"Yeah, well, I hear that going through rough patches in life can sometimes bring out the person you never thought was within you," Sara pointed out.

"I've heard all about those rough patches," Matt admitted. "There's going to be a lot of people who don't want her here."

"Agreed. But that's not our call to make. All we need to do is make sure she can grasp the WWE style, and leave behind that sleazy TNA and ROH persona at the door."

"She'll be fine," Matt said confidently. "Wrestling-wise, anyways. She always had a hard time getting her character right, though, from what I recall. Breaking kayfabe once in awhile...Abby is intense, and Bray is going to expect her to be done to a T. If she doesn't deliver, the Eater of Worlds might just pull the plug on the operation himself."

"She's more Sister Abigail than I think she realizes," Sara murmured. "Her look is right. We'll take her out of the ring for a few days after she shows no more signs of ring rust and send her straight to promotional training and character development. But I hear what you're saying. This should be...well, we'll see how it goes."

"Has Hunter bothered to let anyone else know that she was going to be here?"

Sara bit her lip, lowering her volume just a little bit more as the male tag-teams made their way towards them, jogging their way around the same ring they stood by. "No," she replied honestly. "Aside from the photo that was posted on Twitter, he hasn't gone to seek Styles personally or anything. Again, that isn't our concern."

Matt shook his head. "It's not Styles' reaction that I'm worried about," he told her. "You and I both know that. This could be really, really bad."


	3. Meeting

**Yay for another chapter, another long night, and a giant cup of coffee. Hopefully this story gains some momentum soon. Hoping to write more about Chara's past, and how AJ Styles fits into this, without rushing into explanations...  
**

 **Anyway, if you haven't started reading Armbar Nation's story, The New Authority, you're missing out. I love reading possible solutions to the crap I've been watching on WWE for the past year or so. Read this, review, then go find your way that-a-way, and read and review. :)  
**

* * *

 _July 28, 2016: Orlando, Florida; NXT Performance Center  
_

Chara emerged from the steamy shower in the women's locker room at the Performance Center, wringing her long, two-toned hair and tightening the towel she wore around her body. She was lucky; she'd stayed late to train alone with Sara Amato, and now had the whole locker room to herself. To her happy surprise, Chara didn't recognize many people this week, so the whispers about her presence seemed to have been kept to a minimum. And, beginning Monday, she was going to begin character development training. Though she argued that she could get into this 'Abigail' character without a problem, even Hunter had come down with an iron fist on this one.

Wiping the water dripping from her hair to her shoulders, she dug around her bag until she found a plain black t-shirt and her oldest, most favorite pair of destroyed jeans. They had holes that certainly weren't man-made at this point, and she knew it was kind of grungy to wear them in public. But she didn't really care...that was just the type of person she'd become. Besides, the walk back to the hotel wasn't a very long one and it was late.

Rather than folding up her sweat-drenched clothes from earlier, she stuffed them into the side of the black duffel bag, giving herself a mental reminder that she had to take them out immediately after getting to her hotel and give them a wash. Zipping up and slinging the bag over her shoulder, she turned the light out, leaving the room empty and still, the quietness of the building somewhat unsettling.

Heading towards the back exit, she nodded at the security guard on duty as he prepared to buzz her out of the building.

"Hey, man, wait for me," a distinct, gruff voice sounded in the near distance. Turning, Chara noticed that the voice belonged to Joe; Samoa Joe to most. She'd worked with him during her time in a few other promotions, crossing paths a handful of times. Though he wasn't exactly a nice guy, she didn't have any real problems with him. She gave him a small smile, acknowledging him. He ignored her.

 _Jerk._

The security guard buzzed them both through, and she thanked the man as she exited the building. Joe gave him a nod, his resting-bitch face not changing whatsoever.

The lot was dark and barely lit, and even though Joe hadn't shown any interest in her or carrying on any sort of conversation with her, she still was glad that she wasn't walking alone. She kept close to him, hot on his heels, trying not to jump at any strange noises. Sure, there were cameras out back, but she'd heard too many urban legends in her time about crazies hiding under cars and slicing their victim's Achilles tendons on the back of their feet.

Even if that scenario was unlikely, she simply had watched way too many horrifying movies during her short retirement to _not_ be afraid of that.

"So we meet again," Joe said simply, catching her off-guard. She wasn't even aware that he knew she was still walking behind him. He was likely searching for his car, she just wanted to take the shortest route to the hotel down the block.

"We do," she said shortly, unsure how to read the comment.

He turned, looking at her over his shoulder. He stopped, giving a large sigh. "You're good, Alyx. Very good. But you sure do have a lot of nerve showing your face around these parts."

Chara's face fell a little. "I'm not here to make friends," she replied. "I'm here because, just like you, I belong here."

Joe gave a small chuckle. "Yeah, well. What you did was really fucked up."

Chara didn't reply. She couldn't, because he was right. And aside from that, how did he even know what exactly went down? Joe had kept to himself usually, keeping himself out of the petty backstage drama.

"You could've done that to anyone else, and I think people would find it forgivable. Disgusting, but forgivable. But to do that to-"

"I know," she cut him off, her voice a hard whisper. "I think about that all the damn time. How things would've turned out for me and all that. But, I can't sit in wish for a re-do because it's never gonna happen. I'm here now, and lucky as hell for it because I've literally been blacklisted from every single promotion aside from New Japan for the past few years."

Joe began walking again, the silence between them hanging in the air like a thick fog. "The only one you can blame for that is yourself," Joe responded, finally stopping at a slick, black vehicle before taking his keys from the black sweatpants he wore. She half-expected that he'd offer her a ride to wherever she was going, but he didn't. Not that she would've taken him up on it, but just that she had expected him to be more of a gentleman.

Except, just like everyone else, he loathed her.

As she watched Joe pull out of the parking lot, Chara looked up at the sky, wishing that she could go back in time. Things might've turned out a lot happier for her. Annoyed, she kicked the gravel beneath her tennis shoes, starting her way down the block. With a quick adjustment of the strap of her bag against her shoulder, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and clutched it in her hand, ready to call the cops if necessary. You know, just in case.

* * *

 _September 15, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee_

Chara locked up with AJ, who was cleared to train but not yet compete, for perhaps the hundredth time that day.

"Good. Very good," he looked pleased with the whip into the corner she'd just given him. "That look you have in your eye? That aggressiveness? That's exactly what I want to see from you. Now, you're going to run towards me with a flying clothesline. I'll get out of the way, but you need to sell that bump into the ringpost like you want to win a damn Oscar."

She did exactly that, taking the hit harder than she'd intended to. Rather than act out the sharp pain she felt, her features displayed an all-too real countenance: _Fuck, that hurt!_

AJ laughed at her, coming to her aide as he checked out her forearm. "A nice bruise," he decided, swirling his index finger along the yellowing skin. "But you're not broken."

"I'm unbreakable," she smirked, giving a cocky wave of her hand. "Just put too much momentum going in, is all."

"Well, let's tone it down a little and try again," he replied. "Start with the whip. Sell, sell, sell!"

Even though this seemed like a very basic move to her, Chara completely understood why he was going through these motions, step by step. She'd been freezing up as of late, her facial expressions unreadable during her matches. Sure, she was doing fine in essence, but he really wanted her to break into a deeper character.

They'd run that string of events over a few more times before AJ called it a night.

"You did well today," he gave her a genuine smile. "Your next match ought to be a beauty. Anyone that doubts you after that is a damned fool."

"Thank you," she replied, taking a drink from her hot pink water bottle. "And thank you for being here with me. It really means a lot."

AJ clapped her on her shoulder in a friendly manner. "I wouldn't do it for just anyone," his eyes bore into hers, holding a lingering gaze. He meant that, and Chara could feel this warmth consuming her. She still couldn't believe he'd taken an interest in her, helping her to become something better and more meaningful.

The butterflies she could feel flapping in her stomach over her trainer had to be calmed quickly as her name was called from across the gym, where Mickie James was waving wildly at her with a toothy, knowing smile.

"I'll let you go. Same place, same time, tomorrow morning," AJ demanded before turning away. "Tonight, I want you to YouTube your match against Jenna. You write a list of everything that you did wrong, and we're going to fix it."

"Yes, sir," she saluted him in the dorky way she often did, a small smile breaking from him once again before waving her off and heading out the door. As soon as he was out of sight and earshot, Chara turned to her friend, her eyes burning into her forehead for ruining the moment by interruption. Mickie just kept on smiling, knowing fully well she'd ticked her friend off, but somehow she maintained an innocent look until they were face to face.

"Thanks a lot, asshole," Chara grumbled.

"Chara-coal, come on," Mickie whined. Chara visibly grimaced at the horrid nickname Mickie had given her back when they'd first met-she'd thought it was a real riot, and used it often just because she could. "I know you've got it bad for that sexy teacher of yours, but I'm the voice of reason here. You really don't want to get in over your head on this one."

"And I appreciate your input, but no matter how much of a harmless schoolgirl crush I've developed, AJ Styles is untouchable," she argued. "Still, why can't I have my fun?"

"Because I highly doubt your _boyfriend_ would consider it 'harmless'," Mickie argued, really emphasizing the official title. "And you know damn well that AJ has a bit of a playboy past. I really don't want you to get sucked up in something that isn't going to work out and ruin the good thing you've got going on."

"You're such a cockblock," Chara complained, walking towards the back of the building. This place wasn't the greatest of facilities, and had maybe fifteen lockers in total with eight of them permanently locked and three of them broken. So, most people just left their items along the back wall and didn't bring much more than they absolutely had to.

"Char, listen for a damned second and quit being so stubborn," Mickie grabbed her elbow, annoyed that she wasn't being heard. "As your friend, I just want you to be careful. Don't forget, I got myself involved with John-freakin' Cena which cost me my job at WWE. I know situationally it's a bit different, but don't make the mistake that I did. Your career _will_ suffer."

"Yes, mother," Chara griped. "We train together. I respect him, and he respects me. Sure, we flirt occasionally and it's not a secret that his body is that of a Greek god. Still, I swear on everything, that's where it ends. It's not like we're sleeping together or anything."

"Yeah, well, let's make sure it never gets to the point where you would be faced with that choice," Mickie warned. Her stomach made a funky sound, breaking the tension and the awkward atmosphere that had fallen and settled between the two friends. This caused them both to break out into girlish giggles, and Chara put an arm around the dark-haired woman.

"Guess that means it's time to eat," she teased. "Where to, darling?"

"Is that an offer?" Mickie's voice raised a few octaves. Knocking Chara's arms from her shoulder, Mickie put her hands over her heart and batted her eyelashes, and Chara playfully scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"A date, if you will, sweetie," Chara replied giving her friend a light punch.

"Well, Char, I'm honored! I didn't even have to break out the accent!" she did her best impersonation of AJ, mimicking his Georgian accent and all.

"Oh, screw you," she snickered. With a quick poke to the ribs, the two women left, chattering about what each of them was hungry for.

* * *

 _July 29, 2016: Orlando, Florida; NXT Performance Center_

"Chara, welcome," Hunter greeted her. He was already sitting at the solid, black desk when she was ushered in by Matt Bloom. His computer was on, his desk adorned with action figures of himself and an adorable picture of his family wearing matching white t-shirts and blue jeans. He motioned for her to sit down, and Matt left without saying another word.

She sat quickly opposite the boss, not realizing until that moment how nervous she actually was. She knew that the trainers had given Hunter her progress report, and it could mean great things that she was here or...

"When I sought you out in West Virgina, I have to admit, I was a little worried that you would change your mind," he told her, his eyes watching her intently. "I thought, after you'd had an evening to think on it, you'd end up deciding that some of the dishonorable things that have happened weren't worth the risk," he clicked a pen open, poised to write on the yellow legal pad to his right. "I'm very pleased that you haven't run away from this opportunity."

"I would be silly to," she said slowly. "Money aside, I like the storyline, I missed the ring more than I realized, and I have heard about the attempts to revive women's wrestling. I'd like to help with that." Her mind instantly transported to the memory of one of her first training sessions with AJ, where he asked her if she'd rather fans come to see her tits or to see a good show. It was one of those moments that had stuck with her now for a long time, and because of that she had focused on bettering herself in the ring and giving less thought to her looks.

"I think you'll be a fine addition to the Smackdown roster," Hunter nodded, scribbling down a note on his legal pad. "Just...you know, keep your head high and mind clear."

His expression was unreadable, but she knew exactly what was going on here.

"You didn't tell them that I was coming there, did you?" she finally spoke after a heavy silence. The look in his eyes confirmed that he hadn't; and Chara had a sinking feeling that when she made her appearance next month, things weren't going to be as plucky as she'd been hoping for. This whole time, she thought Hunter had prepared the Smackdown roster for her arrival...given them a forewarning, so to speak. But to go into this battle unarmed was something she really didn't want to do.

"You can't be serious, Hunter," she plead, putting her hands on the desk. "They...hate me there," she said, forcing back the tears that she could feel brimming in her eyes. Somehow, she willed herself from crying in front of the NXT creator, composing herself quickly. No, she wasn't going to give in to her emotions. Not here, not now. Maybe not ever.

"You don't have to worry about AJ. He's professional in every sense of the word," Hunter promised.

"It's not AJ that I'm worried about. You know that. But you've got my word that I will remain professional as well. Though, seeing him again is certainly going to be hard and re-open some old wounds, I'm sure."

"Until Bray Wyatt is ready for Styles, you won't even have to see him," Hunter promised. "Your job is to help Bray rise to the top. I have to warn you, though, in order for this storyline to work it's going to be a slow burn. We can't just bring you in next month and BAM, here's the Abigail that crazy Bray Wyatt has been speaking about for years. It's going to take time, and we want this to be successful. We want _you_ to be successful."

"That's fine. I understand this is a pretty in-depth storyline. The last thing I want to do is ruin it," she felt like she'd said this a thousand times over already.

"Good. That being said, I've got some notes from your trainers here at NXT," he pulled out a manila file, extracting a neatly typed up piece of stark-white paper.

"Let's see here..." he began. "First off, everyone says that it's very clear that you trained with AJ. You pull off a lot of high flying moves and your 'phenomenal' forearm is on point. However, just a heads up...you won't be able to use the forearm."

Chara's mouth dropped. " _What!?_ I've been using that move forever!" she argued, her brows furrowing. It was a way that she'd always paid tribute to her trainer, a move that she'd perfected. Something that always connected the two. That, and she didn't feel comfortable whatsoever putting an opponent into the Styles Clash.

"I know, I know. But, given the circumstance, we'll find a move that's more fit for your character. Moving along, now," he clicked his pen to write another note on the pad again, "I also see that there is some worry about your facial expressions in the ring. They want you to work on your selling points."

She laughed aloud. "Some things never change," she muttered. "That was AJ's biggest grief when it came to me. I'll work on that, I promise."

"Good. Now, the last point that they've brought up is that they want you to go through an intense module for giving promos and, as you already know, another for character development. These classes aren't always the most fun, but I really think it will help you figure out who you are and what you want to do. I've got a short little meeting for you scheduled today, as a matter of fact, regarding exactly that."

"Exactly what?"

"Character development," he smiled, and as though it was perfectly planned, there was a knock on the door. Hunter got up, straightening his red and blue striped tie before revealing the person behind it, a large smile forming. While Chara had expected it to be one of the trainers or some kind of a runner, it turned out to be this large, grizzly man with a bushy beard. He was smiling as he shook hands with Hunter, his cheeks cherub-like yet somehow creepy. He was wearing a ridiculous straw hat and a bright blue Hawaiian shirt. The man mumbled a quick greeting to Hunter, his voice low so that she couldn't quite catch what he'd said. Hunter nodded in response, then offered him the chair next to Chara. She kept her eyes on the desk, trying hard not to feel distressed. The chair gave a tiny groan, indicating that he'd taken a seat. The air seemed cooler, and she could feel the man watching her. Sizing her up. Analyzing her.

"Bray, I'd like you to meet Sister Abigail," Hunter beamed.


	4. Monsters

**Hey everyone! Apologies for being slow. I've been working on the newest chapter for Yours to Hold and sidelined this for a moment...but then I regained momentum. Thank you for those that have reviewed, those that have favorited, or even just lurked. Shout out to the people that have TWEETED about this** **story dannnnng! Makes me smile. My e-mail loves notifications soooo...do me a solid, and tell me if you hate/love/despise/vomit all over. It helps a LOT.  
**

 **So in this chapter, I'm going to write more about the past because..because.**

* * *

 _October 28, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee: Live Show, TNA Impact  
_

She knew AJ was going to be watching closely backstage, so it was of super-high importance that she nail this match. Her feud with Jenna had been long and drawn out, and finally it appeared that they were going to stop trying to push this bimbo down the fan's throats after she horribly botched a _promo_. And not just any promo, a _scripted_ promo. So, for the first time in a month, Alyx was going to get one up on the one that was trying to get recognized, too.

Alyx's character was loosely based off from the movie _Clueless_ ' main character, Cher. She often wore a small plaid skirt with her spandex underneath, even wearing a cropped blazer down to the ring. She wore a different colored headband depending on her ring gear, and her promo's almost always regarded her limo, her daddy and his money, or her mansion.

Unfortunately, today wasn't going to be any different. Though she was lightyears ahead of Jenna's in-ring talent, Alyx was still widely booed because her character was just absolutely hate-worthy. She often took jabs at a fan's outfit in the front row, mocked her opponents by throwing dollar bills like they were strippers...just things that were flat-out rude. But she perfected the character beautifully, and the bookers had taken notice. Her next feud was going to be with Angelina Love, someone who had been in in contention for the Knockouts belt for awhile now. That meant for her, things were looking up.

 _Ha! Screw you, Ring of Dishonor!_

She stood in the middle of the ring, ready to lock up for the last time against Jenna, fluffing her curled, blonde hair like the priss that she'd been called thousands of times. She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes as the crowd booed her, bringing the microphone to her lips before speaking.

"Please. You guys act as if my daddy couldn't just buy me the Knockouts championship belt," she trilled. Crowd boos. "Sure, Mickie and Velvet are _phenomenal_ in the ring-" she smirked at the pun, and hoped that AJ had caught it-"But in the end, it's about who has the most money. Haven't you ever played Monopoly? Well, I've got hotels on Atlantic. Jenna is just a little pauper. Let's be real. I like the shiny, expensive things...obviously, Mickie James, that means the next thing I'm going to do is come after the belt you love so much...it would go great with my outfit, don't you think?" she twirled, ignoring the loud crowd once again. "Thanks, Mastercard," she smirked, winking. She brought the microphone to her lips once more, when Jenna's music began to play. In turn, the cheers erupted, and she was cut off.

Timed just right.

* * *

 _Later that evening..._

"Not a bad promo, Chara," AJ gave her a small hug, his toned chest hidden beneath his bright blue t-shirt. She clung on to him just a second longer than he did, her hand lingering on his shoulder. "I still think you could do more than that, given better promotional training," he critiqued.

"Well, whatever. The match was better," she smiled.

"I agree. You took everything to heart that we've talked about. Not working so stiff, even making Jenna look good when possible. Hopefully one day, your character can be something that isn't so..." he made a face, unsure of how to phrase his thoughts. "Well, great match, anyways. I told you if you worked hard enough, you'd be in line for the Knockouts belt soon."

"It's about damn time," she replied. "This place is a complete mess. To try to push Jenna? Really? And no shade to her, but she just...she's not even in my realm. I can't believe she was going to get the opportunity to be the champion before I was."

AJ smirked. "I don't completely disagree. You know what I think, though? I think that it has a little bit to do with the attitude that you're better than everyone else."

"I was trained by the great AJ Styles. I _am_ better than everyone else," Chara remarked.

AJ gave a true laugh. "You're a real peach, Chara," he stepped towards her, his eyes on her mouth. "And sometimes, you are so full of yourself that I want to set you straight..."

She licked her lips, ready to _finally_ give AJ an idea of what was going through her mind for the past month. All of the silly salutes, the batting of the eyelashes, the attempt of wearing a push-up bra during a training session (Which, unfortunately, was disastrous), all came to this moment. To see if there was as much chemistry as she believed there was. To either kill off those stupid butterflies for good and resume regular training sessions, or continue to wonder what AJ would be like between the sheets...

But, her phone rang.

 _ **"G-g-go insane, go insane, throw some glitter, make it rain!"**_ Ke$ha belted from her phone, and she bit her lip in serious embarrassment. She loved the glitter-infested singer, but didn't necessarily want the whole world to know it. Well, at least not AJ, who was more interested in the jazz and blues type of music... She silently vowed that she'd change it when she got back to the car that she'd been staying in for the past few nights. Her 'home away from home,' so to speak.

With one glance at the screen, her heart sank.

Her boyfriend.

* * *

 _August 2, 2016: NXT Performance Center  
_

Bray Wyatt was an intense character.

The private-school princess, the persona TNA dubbed her and she had essentially perfected, wasn't prepared in the slightest for how he'd mapped out the whole story. She knew that the Kane/Undertaker storyline was perhaps one of the best kayfabe legends ever created, but the sewage that was coming from Bray Wyatt's mind was absolutely fantastic. It put Alyx and her billion-dollar dad to shame. It put TNA to shame...well, nevermind.

The idea of a real, materialized version of Sister Abigail was something that he'd never actually intended for, but the WWE had considered to be a sought-after character anyways. Fans demanded that her identity be revealed, even though in 2013 Bray had given a pretty clear promo that she'd "taken her last breath." She'd watched the promo numerous times, amazed at how well he'd perfected the mannerisms of Charles Manson, the notorious serial killer that he had watched hours worth of interviews to gain some form of insight. In turn, the time spent studying the maniac allowed for his mind to manifest an evil character.

Originally, Bray revealed, the WWE had their eyes on Paige to play Abigail. She was dark, devious, and extremely talented. Unfortunately, Bray could not get along with her, and believed she was too immature to be given such a devastating role in the company. He said she'd really put a nail in the coffin when she signed on to the Total Divas cast, and he had totally abandoned the idea altogether at that point. "She'd been sucked up in the wrong things," he had told her. "Abby would laugh at a show like that. She remains mysterious, yet still kicks ass. She's wise, sees past the things the media spews. She's smarter than those lies, the propaganda. She is omniscient."

Well, Chara wasn't worried about staying out of the media frenzy. She hated Twitter, let alone allow cameras to follow her around during some of her most intimate, humiliating, or humbling moments. She was worried, more or less, about becoming the character that she'd never played before: The Darkness.

"The darkness within you is hard," Bray had coached her that day. "When you're a normally cheery person, your persona in the ring reflects that. Or, in your case, the character that you're accustomed to playing has _become_ a part of you, in a sense. What you need to do is search deep within yourself for the pain, hurt, and destruction. Seek the worst feeling you've ever felt before. Then, emulate it. Every time you come to the ring as Abigail, you are going to need that awful feeling in your back pocket."

He would later go on to explain how he imagined the storyline would play our. "Of course, the writers have a lot to say about this as usual," he stated blandly. "They don't get things right often...but I believe that this time, they've got no choice. If this doesn't go well, it's death to my character and the rest of the stable, too. I know you are willing to take on this role, and the more I have seen in-ring from your TNA days, the more I trust Hunter's decision to bring you in. "

"How are we going to explain the promo that you gave about Abigail dying, though?" Chara questioned. "Just pretend that she's been dead?"

Bray's eyes twinkled, clearly glad that Chara had done research on Bray's past promos regarding Abigail. She had watched them all, actually, to gain insight into the person that she'd be working so closely with.

"I think the best way to go about it is to make it known that I _believed_ Abigail had passed. I think it will be most interesting if we don't introduce you to me straight away. What makes sense to me, is that there are bits and pieces of the Wyatt family during your matches. Random dark vignettes-I'm sure you've seen what I've created-while things go pitch black during the middle of a match. Slowly, we let the fans know that Bray Wyatt is coming after Chara. Except in a random turn of events, Bray Wyatt opts not to attack you," he was speaking of himself in third person, and normally Chara found this extremely annoying. But when Bray did it, it made sense. The way he talked, the way he strung ideas together...she had a lot to learn."

"I like it," Chara agreed. "How would you see Abigail's character? I mean, aside from kicking ass, do you see me playing an evil villain?"

Bray thought about this for a moment. "I think for awhile, you should be a very average character. Think Layla, a quiet yet effective woman. But maybe we ought to transition to a darker character the more weeks that go by. The more unknown match interruptions, the more 'crazy' you become. What I will advise you to do tonight, Miss Chara, is to gain ideas from favorite movies. Maybe what you should do is search for a strong female character, and focus on her mannerisms. Pay attention to the details that nobody else sees."

"I will do just that," she promised. It couldn't be that hard to find inspiration, right?

"Remember, monsters are real. They live inside of us," Bray pointed to her heart. "You will find it, if you summon it."

* * *

 _ **June 7, 2010: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Ring of Honor arena**_

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Chara swore at the main booker, Adam Pearce. "I've given my whole life to this company! I've done everything I could for this company!"

Adam grimaced. "I'm sorry. I really am. You're quite talented, but that alone won't be able to help you. There just isn't enough opportunity here for you. I'm even more sorry that I'm the one who has to deliver the bad news."

 _Terminated. Her contract had been terminated,_ he had told her. Viewership was down yet again, and Ring of Honor was nearing the end of their alliance with their network. They were making budget cuts, and Chara just wasn't a sought-after wrestler. She wasn't all that important.

She smoothed her hair, trying her hardest to compose herself. She was already dressed in her ring gear for the evening, eve though now, she didn't need to be in it. She would be leaving the company quietly, and perhaps nobody would even notice that she wasn't around anymore.

"Thank you for making my day, as usual, Adam," she spat. "I think one day, Ring of Dishonor will be embarrassed to know that they _fired_ me."

With a quick stop to pick up her bags, she began making her way out back to her old, rusty beater of a car (it was all she could afford with the shit pay she was getting), she silently prayed that it would make it all the way back to West Virginia. She could hear her phone going absolutely nuts, with texts and phone calls streaming in.

She didn't want to talk to anyone. She didn't know what to say. She was embarrassed. She couldn't even face her boyfriend, who was surely back inside, preparing for his match alongside his friends and colleagues...unaware that his girlfriend wasn't there.


	5. Rings

**Hope you all enjoy! My apologies for taking way too much time off...I had the flu :(  
**

* * *

 _August 3, 2016: Orlando, FL  
_

As it turned out, doing the research on a good, solid lead female character in a horror movie proved to be tough. It was nearing 3 AM now, and she'd watched most women play the victim in horror movies. At the very least, she was happy to gain insight on what it'd be like to be scared and hunted...it seemed that the angle Bray would initially go for was just that. For a few months, she'd be the victim.

Later, though, she'd have to be more than that. Bray's sidekick; his inspiration, so to speak. She had watched the entirety of _Carrie,_ and even though she'd decided that Carrie's destructive nature was definitely a force to be reckoned with, she just couldn't get around the "weird girl gets picked on for being sheltered, so she reams chaos" story that went along with it.

Through Samara from _The Ring_ to Megan Fox in _Jennifer's Body,_ she wasn't overly thrilled with what she'd seen. How was she going to really, truly nail the character that the WWE Universe expected to see? What Bray wanted her to entail? How would she be able to bring Hunter to a comfortable state of trusting her?

And then, something awesome happened: She found the totally gory movie that she'd seen ages ago, but had completely forgotten about: _I Spit On Your Grave._ Though the movie was a rape and revenge type of film, it was nice to see the woman hunt the guys who had wronged her; and Chara considered how maybe Bray would be open to her "stalking" those that have wronged her kayfabe brother. To make them pay.

She looked forward to speaking once again with Bray, feeling ridiculously inspired. Something that, when it came to her character, she admittedly had never felt before. In the past, she'd simply been assigned someone that the management wanted her to play, give her the exact things they wanted her to hit home with fans, and just carry about her day. For once, she felt strongly that she'd be able to have some sort of creative freedom with the Wyatt family and change the entire outlook on what this "Divas Revolution" _really_ was about.

Now, all she hoped for was that her past didn't catch up with her.

* * *

 _October 29, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee_

"You realize, the more you ignore him, the more he's going to call, right?"

Chara froze, unaware that she was being watched. She'd been screening her calls like crazy, trying her hardest to keep her boyfriend out of her business-life. After all, he was still headlining shows at Ring of Dishonor, and she had to admit, she was pretty salty that he hadn't chased after her...

She made a face as she turned, facing AJ in the hallway of the tiny little arena they'd been using that evening. She didn't have a match that night, just a quick promo calling out The Beautiful People to further her feud with Angelina Love. She wore her yellow plaid blazer over a cropped white sweater, still in character without wearing her complete ring gear. She'd done her makeup a little heavier than normal that night, used a little more hairspray than she was used to. Glad that she had, she placed her hands on her exposed hips as she looked into AJ's gorgeous eyes.

"I just don't know what to say to him. He's busy living his dream somewhere else, you know?" she couldn't believe how well she'd formulated that sentence. It seemed believable, even. What she didn't say, however, was that she was busy cozying up to a certain Phenomenal One, the one that had shown interest in her ability and, in turn, _her._

"That doesn't mean ya'll can't still have a dream together," AJ pointed out, but his look was sympathetic. This nomadic life wasn't easy, especially when it came to relationships. He, too, knew the strains the constant travel and chasing a childhood dream could cause on personal bonds. No matter how long or how much couples loved each other, Chara couldn't help but think that the break-up would soon become inevitable.

"I dunno, Styles," she breathed. "He's doing fine without me around. And the way I see it, if my absence doesn't affect him, then maybe my presence never really mattered. I think that now, being on a different promotion, I see things a little differently these days."

He began to walk, knowing fully well that she would follow suit. She kept in step, not offering any more insight into her relationship. The one that she had been in for a long time now. The one that just a mere year ago, she'd have bet money would end in a solid marriage and a beautiful home. As much as she'd wished for things to pan out that way, the more she felt that it just couldn't. They'd gotten together when they were so young and hopeful; both sharing the dream of traveling the world together. They both loved to be in the ring, yet for some reason they hadn't imagined what it would be like if they were working for different companies.

AJ suddenly halted, turning to her as though he wanted to say something. She gave him a tiny crack of a smile, her mind still messy and uncertain. He opened his mouth and closed it again, then took a step towards her, his thumb rubbing the apple of her cheek. All she had to do was get up on her tippy-toes and _kiss him._

But she didn't. And he didn't make any effort to swoop towards her mouth, much to her dismay.

"You had a bit of black makeup stuff on you," he said lamely, beginning to walk again. He looked distracted, and she gave him an awkward side-hug just to feel the closeness that she'd been yearning for. He allowed her arm to snake around him, and they walked like that for a few steps before she broke away.

 _Jesus. What was he doing to her?_

Guilt crept up in the pit of her stomach, and she kept her eyes on the yellowing tiled floor, keeping in pace with AJ's tennis shoes and listening to the gentle clapping of her black Mary Janes.

* * *

 _August 3, 3016: Orlando, Florida; NXT training center_

Chara found herself in a dense training program, being led by Dustin Runnels who, she found out, was the soon-to-be WWE legend, Goldust. She was in the character development class with a few other women, none of which she recognized, and one man that she did. A small class, but they'd all opened up quickly to one another, and each of them became comrades within the first hour of their time spent together.

They'd watched good character changes (Stunning Steve to Stone Cold Steve Austin) to bad (Viscera to Big Daddy V). In pairs, they discussed what went right, what the athlete should've done better, and how it changed fan's perception of the superstar. Chara found herself face to face with a little woman who had introduced herself as Aliyah. She was quiet and reserved, her long, dark hair falling around her shoulders. She had deep, wide eyes, and she seemed to be very serious and very understanding what good character development could mean for her in the long run. Chara liked her immediately.

"I've been caught in the same gimmick for most my career," she revealed. "Arabian night kind of thing. You know how it is. You get used to doing the same thing over and over, but eventually you've got to realize it's not doing you any favors. I signed myself up for this class to help me gain insight on the type of NXT star I really think I should be."

"I know what you mean," Chara breathed. "I was caught in the same gimmick for years. Now, they want something deep and dark out of me, and I don't know how to achieve that."

"Yet," Aliyah pointed to her. "That's why you're here. You'll figure it out."

Once time was called on their discussion, Dustin asked Chara to explain what would've made Big Daddy V's character better. For the entire class to hear, of course; and the whole time she'd been talking with her partner, they hadn't said a word about what they were supposed to be discussing. Instead, they were strolling down memory lane. She bit her lip, thinking on her feet quickly.

"Well, for one, his outfit sucked," she noted his oriental-looking robe. "I definitely thing the all-black gear was working for him. But aside from his clothes, he just seemed to break away from the ass-kicker that he was. He was seen as a big softie, and the way he looks screams the complete opposite. When you have a natural look to you, why not just run with it? Why try to force yourself to be something that you just aren't?"

One of the men she didn't know interjected. "But that's the point, isn't it? To play a character? To be what you aren't?"

Dustin raised both his hands to quiet the murmuring that had occurred in the room. "Yes, you both are right. Thank you, Chara, for your interesting take on Big Daddy V. May he rest in peace. In this case, Tucker, Chara's right. They wanted him to change into something that he simply wasn't; and unfortunately for V, he just wasn't that good of an actor. He got lost in the shuffle, not very memorable. That's why you all are here, though. So the same doesn't happen to you."

"And what happens when the creative team comes up with a shitty new gimmick, and I have no choice but to take it?" the same guy said. Tucker? That's what Dustin had called him.

"Then you tell the dumb ass that wrote it to fuck off," called another voice, and Chara rolled her eyes as the know-it-all Austin Aries sat in the far corner of the room, his sunglasses still perched on his head despite it being overcast today and, of course, the fact that they were all indoors. Go figure he'd be the only soul that she recognized in this class, and also the same that she freaking could not stand. He had a big mouth and offered little insight or knowledge when it came to new talent, deeming himself some sort of wrestling god that was above taking opportunities to coach. The others in the room had giggles a little, and Dustin shook his head, ready to speak out.

"Yeah, that might work for you, Aries. But some of us aren't so lucky," she found herself saying, her cheeks flushing instantly. His dark eyes shot towards her, gleaming with a clear-cut hatred.

"Chara, fancy meeting you here. Which trainer of yours did you have to fuck to get into NXT?"

Now, she was fuming. Willing her eyes not to leak the hot tears that were dangerously close to falling, she shot a look at him that she hoped would kill him. He laughed, and she composed herself quickly, flipping him the bird.

 _Would her new character act like a little baby when someone was mean? No, she would not,_ she told herself.

She folded her hands back in her lap, ignoring Austin's eyes burning holes in the back of her skull. Dustin had issued them both a quick verbal warning, largely ignoring the entire exchange to get back to where he was headed with the lesson.

Gathering her long black and blonde hair into the hair tie she wore on her wrist, she found herself tuning out the lesson that she was supposed to be focused on.

If things had gone that sour that quickly in a neutral territory with Austin Aries who had loathed her already, Chara could just imagine what would happen when the people she'd once loved found out that she'd signed an exclusive contract with WWE. Her stomach felt weak already. It was just a matter of time.

* * *

 _November 17, 2011: Atlanta, Georgia  
_

The Swiss Superman, Antonio Cesaro, accompanied his good friend and colleague to the jewelry shop that day. While Kevin Owens had been home preparing for a baby, Cesaro had no choice but to step in and help his friend in his time of need. And while Antonio had absolutely no prior knowledge on the issue at hand, he supposed he could be supportive in this. Well, at least he could try.

"I'm thinking more of a traditional engagement ring," he watched as the baby-face redhead spoke to the saleswoman. "Something tasteful yet eye-catching. I don't want it to be overly showy...my girlfriend just isn't like that."

Cesaro made a noise, making it completely clear that he disagreed with his friend. Both sets of eyes turned to him, and the poor sales girl seemed shocked at the lanky wrestler.

"I still think this is too much, too soon," he offered, but he knew that the younger man would never agree. He was so smitten with the little blonde spitfire he'd been seeing, despite being on a totally different travel route these days. Not that he had a problem with Chara, because that wasn't it at all. He just didn't want to see his friend get hurt; his heart was too large and if anyone could crush his dreams of ever getting married, it'd be that girl.

"Yeah, well, when you find the person you want to spend your life with, Ces, I'll try talking you down, too," he mocked, waving his hand as if deflecting the comment altogether. He turned back to the salesgirl, who pulled a tray of numerous different cuts and styles of rings from the case.

"You two haven't seen each other for nearly a month," Cesaro argued, making his way back to the counter. He realized how stupid that sounded; after all, it wasn't uncommon for performers such as themselves to be away from family and loved ones for consecutive months. His partners and bosses had completely taken over roles as family members, and in that moment he realized he really wished he had someone, too.

"Maybe not, but all the better to surprise her, don't you think?"

Cesaro rolled his eyes playfully, finally making a motion towards the jewelry counter. The faster he helped pick out Chara's engagement ring, the faster the two could grab some food down at that hole-in-the-wall restaurant they'd passed a few blocks down the road. Cesaro had begged to eat first, but unfortunately, looking at tiny, sparkling circles had been the number one priority that day.

He glanced at the tray, dismissing each of them quickly. "They're fine," he said to his friend. "But I think you can do better. You may think _she_ isn't flashy, but trust me. When it comes to rings, you want to go big or go home."

Biting his lip as he glazed over the others in the glass-top counter, he made a gesture towards the other man. Pointing to a white gold ring with three diamonds, he stated, "I like this one."

"Great, didn't realize you'd be the one wearing it," the other man sizzled, but lowered himself to eye-level with the ring. Cesaro watched as a lazy smile began to take over his features. "I'll tell you what, Ces. It's not exactly traditional, but then again, it's really something special." He turned quickly to the salesperson once more, asking to see it. He turned it over and over in his palm, asking her about the carats and if the two side stones, which she had described to him as "black diamonds," were a real type of diamond.

Eventually he'd chosen that ring, and the woman put it in a sleek, black box. In just a few weeks, Chara would be competing-and winning-the TNA Knockouts belt. In such a career-defining moment, the plan was that her boyfriend would come to the ring and propose. The whole world would just seem right when she'd accept through tears, throwing her hands around him in the center of the ring with the belt draped around her shoulder. A very public scene, Cesaro thought; but he supposed the two were a very public couple.

"Are you sure you don't want the receipt, sir? We can't accept a return without it," the lady arched her perfectly shaped eyebrow, clearly disliking that he'd just told her to toss it in the trash.

"I won't be needing it. I won't be returning it. I'm sure," he was already headed towards the door, pushing it open. The bells chimed, and Antonio began to follow him. But then he thought better of it, turned back to the saleswoman who had been such a fantastic help, and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry about him. He's high on love. Can't blame him, the girl is great. But just in case-I'll take his receipt."

Quickly, he stuffed the paper into his jacket pocket, then high-tailed it out the door so he could get some food in his churning stomach.

* * *

 **AN: Oh dear, oh dear. Please, don't hesitate a quick review. You guys are great.**


	6. Mess

**Welcome back, everyone! Please note that I've changed the rating to M, as I figured I eventually would. The direction I see this story going when it comes to Chara's messy past...just seems safer that way. At any rate, happy Survivor Series weekend! Only two more shifts at work 'til I've got a few days off, can't wait. ALSO, for purpose of this story, one of the main characters normally on RAW is going to be on Smackdown, because I said so.  
**

 **Don't forget to review...hint, hint. ;)**

* * *

 _August 9, 2016: Smackdown Live; Bakersfield, CA  
_

"Hunter," the grizzly voice made the executive vice president jump, turning in his dark brown swivel chair to face the man that had just come into the small office across from the production room.

His eyes flicked upward, meeting the icy blues of the Phenomenal AJ Styles, an acquisition to the WWE that he was particularly proud of. He gave a large smile, knowing what the former indie star was here for. _He'd heard._

"AJ, what can I do for you?"

"Cut the shit, Hunter, and do yourself a favor...don't insult my intelligence like that," the shorter man's accent was thick with anger, and he sounded a bit threatening.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure what you mean," he offered, standing up from the chair and leaning against the wall near the door.

AJ's eyes were wild with anger, something that normally didn't happen. Normally, AJ was very laid-back, a cool-headed veteran that managed to get along with even the most difficult of personalities. This reaction was definitely not what Hunter had been expecting.

Finally, he breathed out a long sigh, giving up on the facade that he was clueless. "Alright, who told you?"

AJ shook his head, pulling a blue, gloved hand through his hair. "My social media manager, actually. He just happened to have caught a question on my Q and A from a fan asking if I was proud that my former trainee finally signed with the WWE. He did his research, and lo and behold, there ya'll are, shaking hands for the cameras. You've known for a long goddamn time, and you haven't said a damn word to me about this. I thought you had more respect for me as a performer than this, and to be honest, I'm kinda pissed."

Hunter hated hearing those words, and they were unfortunately quite true. He knew that he should've mentioned this to everyone, but he thought that by now, people would be over the little love triangle that had unfortunate collateral damage. After all, he'd lived through the same predicament with Chyna and Steph; being caught between two people sucked ass. So in that case, he'd felt badly for Chara, who had been pulled from any and all appearances, each promotion no longer offering her a time slot, following her own little incident. He'd gotten lucky with his situation and he knew that, but she hadn't been nearly as well off.

So, how would he explain his thought process to AJ without pissing him off more?

Hunter stayed leaning against the wall, sizing Styles up. He thought carefully about his next words, playing them over in his head a few times before saying them out loud.

"I sincerely apologize for not running Chara's signing with the company by you," he said finally. "Truly, I thought this would have blown over by now. Of course, the talent team and myself is completely aware of the things she's capable of in the ring, and we need another strong, solid heel here on Smackdown-" _Oh, fuck._

"You aren't serious! Drafting her to Smackdown, Hunter? Do you have any idea the kind of destruction that girl caused? I'm married now. I can't have a lovesick little girl fawning all over me anymore. It just doesn't look good. Not to mention...ah, of course, _he_ doesn't know either, does he?"

Hunter didn't respond to the second part of the star's question. But he did find himself grinning at the bit about Chara 'fawning' over the older man. And as much as he respected AJ in the ring, he couldn't keep it to himself. With a small chortle, he replied, "What, are you worried you won't be able to negate her? Fall into her trap like last time? What's the problem, AJ?" He was only teasing, but apparently Styles didn't find the humor ingrained in the boss's words.

Frustrated, AJ cracked his knuckles, not looking away from his boss. He didn't reply, and Hunter couldn't help but wonder if AJ simply just didn't trust himself around the newest female superstar. Cute as Chara was, he couldn't quite understand AJ's appeal with her. Then again, they'd spent so much time with each other in TNA, as he'd been told by his peers, that it was no surprise that they'd eventually form some kind of relationship.

The business had a funny way of doing that.

AJ held his gaze yet, as though it was his turn to consider his words. "That's not it. I was a pawn in her game of chess, and to this day, I still can't look the guy in the eyes. Someone like that doesn't deserve to be steamrolled by a troll like her. He's too good for her, and I only wish that at the time, I understood that I was, too."

Hunter said nothing, rapping his knuckles against the white stucco wall.

"I'll keep her out of your way for now, Styles. No worries there. She is going to eventually have to work with you due to the role she's been assigned, but until then, I need you to keep your mouth closed and your mind open. Chara's well aware of the consequences if she messed things up in this company. We've spoken about it, and I doubt you need to worry. In fact, I was sure you'd be better about this whole thing. After all, according to the TMZ reports, you'd said that the whole affair was a hoax, completely made up by someone who just wanted to move upwards in the company. If that's true, her presence shouldn't really affect you. Right?"

AJ shook his head, but said nothing. He wouldn't, and Hunter knew that. He'd maintained his innocence for years, but there were plenty of people who knew what was really going on all those years ago. Slamming his fist into the wall, AJ turned to leave.

Hunter watched as AJ walk back out the door, visibly still bristled over the entire thing.

* * *

 _November 19, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee  
_

"Alright, awesome work tonight, Chara. Let's wrap it up with a quick cool down. Fifty push-ups, no wussy girl ones," AJ instructed, smirking as the blonde groaned.

"That's hardly a cool down, captain," she replied, dropping to her knees in front of him. She looked up at him, biting her lip in a way that, she supposed, made the entire scene look like she was about to star in an adult film. Not one to let the moment pass without comment, she gave a girlish, flirty giggle.

"I can enjoy the view from here all night, if you want," she smirked. AJ rolled his eyes, falling to his own knees before beginning his set of push-ups, ignoring her comment as he normally did.

"Well, you're no fun," she stated, starting hers as well. She eyed his arms carefully, trying hard not to imagine what it'd be like if she were underneath him, what it'd be like to run her hands along his smooth biceps. She stayed in rhythm with him, keeping her eyes on her trainer while her X-rated thoughts filled her mind hopelessly.

"Do you like the view?" he said finally, and Chara couldn't believe that she'd been caught checking him out. Not that he wasn't aware that she was hugely attracted to him, because it was blatantly obvious. But he'd remained chivalrous, making it clear he didn't intend on acting on anything. Sometimes she wondered if he even saw her in the same way as she saw him, but lately he'd been making it more clear that there was some kind of reciprocating feelings on his part.

"You know that I do," she admitted, going for the bold approach. "What're you going to do about it?" she stood up, mentally hitting her fiftieth push-up. Giving her shoulders a good stretch, she eyed him mischievously. He rose to his full height, the light crinkles in his eyes visible when he smiled at her.

"You're jailbait, y'know that?"

"I'm what?"

"Gonna get me in trouble with your boyfriend," AJ replied. "He's a good kid, anyway. It'd be a real shame if I took you away from him."

Chara couldn't help herself as her ears perk up and her heart do a backflip. Finally, the truth was revealed: AJ had desire for her. A real interest in her. And would probably be with her if he wasn't such a decent human being. He wouldn't do a thing with her until she wasn't attached to someone else, despite how many times they'd come _thisclose_ to mashing their lips together.

"Oh, c'mon," she replied. "You know he hasn't been in my life for like a month now."

AJ sat on the hard canvas of the mat, sitting up straight as he twisted his body to stretch out his abdomen. "That might be true, but ya'll are still an item," he replied.

"And you're just doing ab stretches right now because you clearly weren't ready to end the conversation," Chara smirked, eyeing him."I've got an idea. Why don't we just...hang out? Like, not in the damn ring for once?"

"Our relationship belongs in the ring," AJ replied. "You know that."

Chara rolled her eyes. "Fine," she replied, doing toe-touches as she thrust her chest out just a bit more than normal, her new sports bra doing wondrous things for her lady goods. Seriously, how much more did she have to do to show AJ that she wanted to see what things would be like with him?

She looked up briefly, glad that she had. She'd caught him clearly looking, his man-brain unable to deny the interest that was there. As if on cue, his eyes whipped back up to her face.

"See something you like?" she teased, mimicking his accent.

"Unfortunately, I do, and it's gonna get me in a lot of trouble."

* * *

 _November 24, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee; TNA Impact!_

"And your winner, by no-contest, and still your TNA Knockouts champion...Mickie James!" the ring announcer tried to remain enthusiastic as referee Earl Hebner raised the hand of the woman who was _supposed_ to lose the belt that night. Everyone near the ring was buzzing, confusion thick in the air. Hebner shrugged as Mickie asked him what was going on, his helpfulness level a big fat zero.

Fans booed, pissed that they expected to finally see a good showdown between two of the top performers in the company. Alyx had wrestled circles around Angelina Love, Madison Rayne, and Velvet Sky in the past few weeks, truly earning her spot to nab the title from her good friend. The chemistry between the two best friends was unmistakably solid, a healthy competition between the two. Mickie didn't even mind that she was going to be dropping the title.

Sliding out of the ring as her entrance music played loudly, she looked around at the fans, trying her hardest to give them an apologetic look. She linked up with Dixie Carter at ringside, whose mouth was pressed into a thin line. Mickie could see that Dixie was seething, unable to look the champion in the eye as she linked her arm around the woman, motioning her to walk back up the ramp with her.

"Okay, I'm officially worried," Mickie muttered as they reached the top, the entire time the owner not saying a single thing. "It's not like Chara to skip out on a match, let alone her first major win. Is she okay?"

Dixie pursed her lips. "Were you aware that her boyfriend was going to be proposing to her tonight?" she finally asked, her eyes as stern as her tone was.

"Was I-no! What!? Why?" Mickie was happily surprised; and suddenly, things became seemingly clear. Chara had been swept up in her little nerd, probably quite busy celebrating their new engagement. They'd probably lost track of time. Yes, that had to be it-

"He's in the medic's office with a dislocated jaw," Dixie said finally. "And since he's not under contract with TNA, but was attacked by one of our people...well, I'm just worried that we may have a lawsuit on our hands."

"Chara attacked him? Okay, I'm totally lost."

"Are you?" Dixie spat. But her eyes softened when Mickie turned to face her after they'd made their way backstage. It was clear that Mickie James had no idea what was going on, where Chara was, or what the plan was going forward for the evening.

"I'm extremely disappointed," Dixie admitted. "Not only did Chara waste your time, she wasted the company's. We look like a bunch of idiots! Unbelievable."

Mickie held up her hand, signaling for the other woman to stop talking, as she adjusted the championship belt on her shoulder once more. "No disrespect, but can you please tell me what in the flying fuck happened? It must not be good, especially if she didn't show up for our match."

Dixie cleared her throat. "Well, for starters, Alyx's contract has been terminated, as of a half-hour ago. She should be out of the building by now."

"What!?" Mickie almost screamed the question, grabbing at the roots of her hair. "Seriously, Dixie, what in the fuck happened!?"


	7. Lies

**Back at it again. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I wrote this segment before ever writing anything else, so hopefully with some tweaking, it makes sense with what I've already written. Big stuff coming for this chapter...so, yeah... Here she goes!**

* * *

 _November 22, 2011; New Orleans, Louisana_

It was hard to pinpoint exactly when AJ gave in to Chara's feminine allure, though she supposed she'd been laying it on thick for long enough that it would be unreasonable if he ignored her anymore. He'd started to respond to her seductive quips, sometimes dishing them right back to her. The sexual tension that was created as a result between the two was irrefutable, their training sessions so charged with carnal need to simply be around each other.

Things had tumultuously changed for her when she'd lied to him about breaking things off with her boyfriend. It wasn't as though she hadn't planned on ending things with the guy; she'd just been avoiding him for so long that she didn't know the status of their connection any more. Although she hadn't done the damage _yet,_ it was something that was going to happen.

The two days following her little white lie with AJ had awakened something between them that was lingering for a long time, but they'd just tip-toed around for months. The worst part was that Chara didn't feel as guilty as she ought have. For the first time in a long time, she was able to fill the void that was left in her after she'd been let go from Ring of Honor, no longer carrying around the shame. Instead of wallowing in her own misery, she became dependent on AJ to lift her spirits. The more time they spent together, the more it became apparent that there was more than just a trainer/trainee relationship between them.

Finally, AJ had allowed himself to give Chara more, under the false pretenses.

Just the day before, he'd asked her to accompany him to the extremely high-profile charity event hosted by WCW and WWE legend, the Immortal Hulk Hogan. Unless personally invited to the event, tickets to get into the door were untouchable for under five hundred dollars. In the past, Chara had heard of Hogan's ego, financial problems, backstage politicking, and humiliating divorce. Yet, despite all of his serious character flaws, Hulkster was such such an enigma that most people were able to look past those. He was also doing some serious public relation overhaul work, trying to clean up his outward image. Whatever he was doing, it was working.

Though she'd never spoken to Hogan in her entire career, knowing that AJ had thought well enough of her to join him for the evening was flattering. There were going to be some of the greatest superstars, public figures, and actors in attendance of the Make-A-Wish Foundation's annual benefit ball, and she absolutely would not miss it. Despite all of Mickie James' warnings and sighs, she'd helped Chara curl her abundant golden hair that afternoon, using an entire can of hairspray to ensure that it would stay put.

"Promise me you won't do anything damaging," Mickie had plead. "That you're only going because it's really a great cause."

"It _is_ a great cause," Chara had replied. "I might never get invited to an event so prestigious ever again."

Mickie didn't argue with her anymore, but was only partially convinced of her friend's intentions. Not that it was her business. Though she begrudgingly did so, Mickie still helped her friend apply just enough shimmery eye makeup, let her borrow a mega-glossy lip color, and helped zipped up the dress Chara had picked up the day prior.

The bright, crimson-colored ballgown was just a teeny bit too snug in the chest, but Chara didn't mind. She was certain that AJ wouldn't mind, either. It was sleek against her hips, the straps crossing in the back with beautiful beadwork and baring her toned, tanned back.

"Girl, you look gorgeous," Mickie breathed when Chara stepped out of the little hotel bathroom, watching her carefully as she began spritzing a bit of lavender-scented perfume behind her ears. "So proud of myself...your makeup is flawless, you're welcome. You look awesome."

Chara bent down from her high heels to give the woman a hug. "I appreciate your help, Mick," she said. "I know you don't approve of me going to this, but I'll be really careful."

"Just keep your hands to yourself," Mickie replied. "Because I know that once Styles sees you, he wont be able to."

But of course, Chara wouldn't listen.

* * *

 _December 2, 2011: Fayetteville, North Carolina  
_

"Mr. Styles, my name is Christine Bennett, and I'm with TMZ Online. I've just got a few questions to ask you regarding your relationship with former TNA Knockout, Chara Wright-"

"There is no relationship," he cut the reporter short, his words sharp. "Chara and I train together a few times a week, and that's all that there is between us."

"But there have been reports that you two have carried on an affair for the past couple weeks, resulting in her losing her job," she pushed her way past a few other reporters, pen poised to the paper, ready to write anything he told her. "In fact, someone from the promotion leaked that information to another TMZ reporter, and I'm just here to follow-up."

"As far as I'm concerned, Chara is a delusional young girl who had feelings for someone who didn't reciprocate them. It was a mistake to ever train with her," he drawled, showing no emotion in his words.

"So are you confirming that the whole report of an affair was falsified?" the annoying mosquito of a reporter squinted her eyes at him, as if trying to mind-control him into telling the truth. But AJ was smarter than she was, and he knew better. Something of this magnitude could be social suicide.

"A complete hoax," he replied, the lie flowing from his lips easily. "And whoever made the initial report was someone who was clearly just interested in moving up in the company, trying to take me down," he turned to face her, his eyes stone and serious. She scribbled down word for word what he'd said.

"Isn't it true that the two of you attended a benefit together just a few weeks ago?" she asked. "There were pictures of the two of you online looking quite cozy."

Christ, the woman didn't quit. But the mention of the benefit ball had put him into a memory overload; his brain flashing back to that night, Chara looking gorgeous as he met her at the first-floor elevator at her hotel. The provoked but unwanted memories kept flowing, making him freeze up. He began thinking of her soft skin as they'd entered the glamorous building with their arms linked. The way she watched him over their dinner and wine, her eyes full of pure lust. Of Chara leaning in for their long-awaited, hormone-ridden first kiss. Of Chara charming Hulk Hogan by her knowledge of German history, even though she had been severely star-struck by him at first. Of Chara begging him as she lay on her back, her mound slick as he carefully entered her...

The memories of the woman that had lied and manipulated her way into his arms were suffocating, but he wouldn't allow himself to feel badly for his misjudgement. He should have known the trouble he was getting into.

"What's wrong, AJ? Cat got your tongue?" another reporter jammed a tape recorder right above Christine's microphone, and AJ batted it away, causing it to clatter on to the sidewalk.

AJ didn't know how to combat the question about the benefit ball because he'd been unprepared for that one. In fact, AJ was unaware that there had been any press in the building that night at all. He hadn't been paying attention, he supposed-all he had been doing was imagining the red dress Chara wore laying in a pool at the foot of his hotel bed.

"There were many of my colleagues there that night," he replied lamely, casting the memories of that blissful evening away. "Now, if you don't mind, I've got to catch a flight."

She began to ask him more questions about why Chara got fired and which Ring of Honor star ended up in a backstage scuffle, but he held up his hands on those. Sure, he knew exactly the reasons. He knew all of the answers. But in order to protect his career, he had to be smart about this. He felt a nibble of guilt in his stomach, pained to know that Chara hadn't gotten off easily. But not only had she missed her big match that she'd worked so hard for, but if her boyfriend pressed charges like Dixie was worried about, it was less worrisome if she wasn't around, too.

Slinging his sack over his shoulder, he ignored the other reporters, pushing his baseball cap over his eyes, and kept he head down as he walked, sometimes dodging flashbulbs from cameras and pushing the microphones and recording devices away from him.

* * *

 _August 23, 2016: Smackdown Live; Uncasville, Connecticut_

AJ Styles walked around backstage, wearing Jon Cena's 'Never Give Up' headband on his head and stopping to talk to friends of his here and there. He was surprised how well he fit in here, and even more surprised that the adjustment to WWE in general had been a nice, fluid motion. How often that superstars, no matter how talented, got lost in the bustle of the top show, only to make zero impact on the roster? AJ considered himself lucky, though he figured that some of his success had to be attributed to fans who had followed him through the years.

He gave a small wave as he passed by general manager Daniel Bryan, having a quick talk with Sami Zayn. AJ gave a short nod to the other man, who turned away, facing Bryan as he launched into some lecture about the importance of mat-based wrestling to avoid injury. Zayn had dismissed him discretely, doing a tasteful job of masking his dislike for Styles.

No matter. In just a half hour, he'd be opening the show, calling out John Cena one more to lengthen their feud. Never in a million years did he think he'd go toe-to-toe with Cena, who was easily the most decorated superstar of the modern WWE. It was, without a doubt, that Cena would shatter Ric Flair's title record, no matter who didn't like it. Hell, admittedly, he didn't like it much; but it's not like the guy didn't deserve it.

Distracted by his thoughts, he walked by Eileen, the pretty girl who sometimes traveled with the company to do the women's makeup prior to shows. She was currently rubbing some kind of black brush along Nikki Bella's temples, leaving a light, sheeny trail behind. Man, Nikki was just as pretty in real life as she was on television-and for being Cena's girlfriend, he supposed, he shouldn't expect anything less.

"Hey, AJ!" Nikki smiled as she watched him pass by. "You look like you're on a mission."

He stopped for a minute, looking at her gleaming white smile. "I'm just about to go beat up John Cena," he replied with a smirk.

"Well, don't mess up his face too much. He's way too handsome for that," she mindlessly looked at her red manicured nails, crossing and uncrossing her legs.

"I'll try not to, but I won't make any promises," AJ replied, laughing and rolling his eyes as the brunette stuck out her bottom lip in a pouting manner. He carried on, stopping to say hi to Dean Ambrose and Bray Wyatt. He hadn't seen Wyatt in awhile, hearing rumblings that he'd been out with a calf injury for a few weeks. He was one character that AJ believed ought to be main eventing, his passion and charisma something that was hard to bring out in a lot of people. Yet somehow, Bray was able to pull off amazing promotions and kick-ass matches every single night, save his Wrestlemania match with Taker.

He was also apparently going to be aligned with and mentoring Chara, who had not been brought to the main roster yet. Now, he expected Hunter to actually let him know when and if that was going to happen, especially after the last encounter the two gentleman had had. AJ had made it quite clear how little he'd appreciated the way WWE had handled Chara Wright's signing. Hopefully, she'd dipped out and decided that it'd be too hard facing everyone. After all, many of her old friends had proven their loyalty to the very same people she'd hurt.

"...I didn't know how to feel about the whole idea at first, but I've got a lot of faith in her. She came back, giving me an entire list of ideas of how to make the character work. I handed the ideas over the creative, so hopefully they'll do something with it."

Dean Ambrose snorted. "You don't think they're actually going to write this properly, do you? They do great jobs at ruining what should be fantastic storylines all the time. I don't think they're going to make much of an exception here."

"Well, she's solid in the ring and has the right look to her. Rough around the edges. Hunter didn't mention much, but she's been through some rough patches that I think will help her grow-"

AJ cleared his throat, both men turning to face him.

"What's up, champ?" Dean Ambrose was chomping on a piece of gum, his steely eyes piercing AJ. He wore a goofy smile, and AJ wasn't sure if he was challenging him or just poking some light fun. It wasn't completely impossible that he knew Styles' history with Chara, given that in some way, all of the indie wrestlers knew each other. But AJ and his promoters had been tight-lipped about the whole scandal, pretty much stifling the rumor. That didn't mean there weren't people who were familiar with the actuality of it.

AJ hadn't completely thought that possibility through, and worry began to run through his mind.

"Just had a tickle, that's all," he lied, not wanting to draw any more attention to himself. Not wanting them to catch on that he was less than happy about Bray's newly acquired Wyatt family member. "Sorry," he breathed, heading towards the whiteboard that was written on, revealing the night's matches in detail to those backstage. He was still near enough to hear Dean and Wyatt carry on their conversation, but not near enough to clearly comprehend what was being said.

"She's the...didn't want...doesn't like...be seen right now..." bits and pieces of the murmurs made their way to him, but it was so broken that it was pretty incomprehensible.

Ruling out that it was nothing to worry about, he whipped around, ready to head towards guerilla position. He had the first scheduled promo of the evening, after all, and the show would air in less than twenty minutes. He could mill around there for awhile.

Except he had run straight into some skinny guy with an all black sweatshirt, the hood pulled over his head so that his eyes weren't visible.

"Shit, sorry," AJ pologized, the hooded figure crumbled across the cool, concrete floor. He wore black cargo pants and wrestling boots. Extending his hand to help the fallen man, the guy just pulled himself up alone, not even acknowledging the offering of help. The guy scrambled away quickly, not even bothering to turn back.

"Fucking weirdo," he muttered, watching as the figure disappeared past the illumination of the vending machines.

* * *

 _November 27, 2011: Nashville, Tennessee; TNA Impact  
_

The entire scene was something that Chara knew she would never forget.

She had been in the middle of the fight between the two men, ignoring the stagehands who had been calling for her to get in position for her match. She'd waved them off; at the time, it seemed to make more sense to make sure the two didn't kill each other. Now, she knew that it would be just minutes before Dixie Carter kicked her out of the building, terminating her contract for good. Making certain that Alyx would never win the TNA Knockouts belt, despite how hard she'd scratched and clawed to be at the top of the division.

She knew she'd hurt her dearest friend and opponent that night, Mickie, but once it was discovered _why_ , it was likely that she'd forgive her for no-showing to their scheduled match.

Her boyfriend-though at this point, it was safe to say _ex_ -boyfriend-sat in a horrid orange plastic chair, with one of the TNA medics knelt beside him checking the hinge of his jaw. He bled from the side of his mouth, and Chara was sure that one of his teeth had been knocked out during the entire backstage scuffle. He'd blindsided AJ...because at the time, Styles' attention had been entirely on her, his head bent back in ecstasy as she left fluttery little kisses right above his trunks. But AJ had managed to turn the tables quickly, once Chara got out of the way. AJ had out-maneuvered him easily, socking him in the face. The medics had already determined that it had caused the jaw to dislocate, but before anything could be done to discipline Styles, he'd already stalked off.

Her eyes caught his amber-colored orbs, still shining wildly with resent for her and adrenaline.

She opened her mouth, closed it, and looked at her feet. She had nothing to say, and nothing she could say would make this any better.

Finally, she looked up, and his eyes still bore into her. It surprised her when he spoke, though at first, she had a hard time understanding what he'd said. He had half a roll of gauze stuck in the side of his mouth, catching the blood that had been pouring out moments ago.

 _"Why?"_

Chara's lips felt dry as she struggled to find the right words. She'd destroyed her career, stomped on someone's heart, and lied to someone who she respected dearly. She'd disappointed her fans and opponent tonight, having been too caught up in the deity that was phenomenal. And all for what? She had nothing to show for it.

"I...I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice catching as she spoke. She was hoarse, and she wanted to cry. Yet, she was still in shock that things had played out this way.

But now, he was barbarous, shaking as he got to his feet. He looked funny with the wet, slobbery gauze hanging from his mouth. In any other instance, she might have laughed at the ridiculousness of the scenario. But this was definitely not the time or place to even so much as break a smile.

"I asked why, Chara!" he yelled, though his voice was muffled and his words were broken up.

"Because I thought...because you were...I'm really sorry," she stammered. Did she actually have a reason? Not really. She just enjoyed being around AJ, and developed a crush on him quickly. She'd told him that she was newly single, even though that wasn't the truth. No, she'd planned on breaking things off...but hadn't gotten around to it. In her perfect world, she'd end up with AJ Styles, taking authority over TNA's roster as a power couple. But that wasn't going to happen, and it was very clear by the way AJ had left her earlier: Still on her knees, looking like the whore that she probably was.

"That's not an answer. I gave everything I had to you!" More mush-mouth.

"I thought we were done, okay? You were busy in Ring of Honor, and you hardly return my calls anymore. I didn't know where I stood with you. I hate being left in the dark, Sami!"

Sami Zayn said nothing, taking her words in carefully.

"I was busy trying to make a living for you! Make a life for _u_ s!" Sami argued after a long moment of silence.

"I love you more than I ever thought possible," she continued, wiping a tear that had escaped the corner of her eye while she ignored his last statement. "When I got let go from Ring of Honor, I thought...hoped, actually...that you'd leave with me. I know that's selfish of me, but...I felt like your career meant more to you than I did. I didn't intend for things to go this way."

"Do you love him?" he asked.

Chara didn't reply at first, but knew that he deserved some kind of explanation for her repulsive conduct.

"I might," she said quietly. It was true; after all. She just hadn't explored that possibility quite yet, and it was implausible that she ever would.

Sami looked as though someone had just punted his puppy across the room.

"I'm sorr-"

"Don't," he replied, holding up his hand. "Sick of the bullshit apologies. I'm just glad I found out about this before it was too late to get out."

"What do you mean?" she asked, finally allowing the tears to stream down her face. She looked right at Sami, his own tears streaking down his cheeks. He looked like a little boy, and she wanted nothing more but to wipe the wet trails from his face. But given the circumstances, it was fair to say that he would have broken her fingers off if she tried to touch him.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

That was the last thing she'd ever hear from Sami Zayn. She was captured and restrained by a security officer for the building, her tears hot against her cheekbones. She could taste the lingering salt from each bead, and she knew she looked just as horrible as she felt. Sami wouldn't look at her, falling back into the orange chair and keeping his head down, pretending his sneakers were the most fascinating thing in the world. She had so many things she wanted to say to him. She wanted to apologize until she couldn't breathe anymore. She wanted to tell him that maybe one day, they'd be able to try this again.

But every single text she had sent in the months following their departure went without reply. Every phone call went straight to voicemail. Every one of her friends from Ring of Honor had proven their loyalty to Sami by following his lead, abandoning their own ties with her and leaving her to her own devises. What was worse, since Sami Zayn was considered both lovable and an excellent worker, the phone calls came in quickly once each of the promotions had heard about the love triangle she'd initiated. Appearances that she'd been looking forward to in numerous wrestling companies had been canceled, nobody wanting to take the chance of losing out on Sami or AJ Styles by association. She couldn't get a spot wrestling in a damn high school gymnasium if she wanted to.

When New Japan offered her a six-month contract, she had nothing to lose and nobody to miss. She took the opportunity to disappear off the map for awhile, let the rumors quiet down, and ignore the constant calls from her mom demanding to find out every little detail of her dishonorable, widely public break-up. She'd gotten on that plane with no strings attached, anxious to run away from her problems and leave the turmoil behind.

* * *

 **Until next time, friends...  
**


	8. Looming

**Cool. That last chapter was fun to write. Now, let's get into the nitty gritty. Shout out to those who have helped me gain some traction on the Abby character...you know who you are. :)  
**

 **Apologies on the lateness of this chapter. I literally re-wrote the intro six times.**

* * *

 _November 23, 2011: New Orleans, Louisiana; Mariott Inn_

Chara's tinkling laughter filled the darkened hotel room, the champagne she'd had earlier helping to loosen her up. Though she was normally flirty in nature when it came to him, he'd noticed she'd seemed much more reserved during their evening together. Though she didn't say, he suspected that she was very nervous. Seeing her bubbly, silly personality come out brightened his own attitude, increasingly glad that things had turned out this way. It was during their outing that he acknowledged the feelings he had. In fact, he'd finally given in to his more primitive nature, no longer forcing himself to keep things platonic. He was enamored with Chara, and he was going to show her that. _Right now._

AJ smirked to himself as he gently locked the door behind them, his bright blue eyes following her. He considered lending a hand as he watched her lean against the nearby dresser, pressing her hand firmly against the oak top as she carefully stepped out of the shoes she'd worn. She was too quick, though, and her shoes were off in seconds, though now she'd lost a few inches of height. He idly wondered how she'd managed to spend the whole evening in those heels.

Admittedly, he had a fantastic time with her. He'd always known that she was a pretty face, a great athlete, and strong-willed when it came to her work. But now he knew that he'd fallen hard for her somewhere along the way, impressed by the way she carried herself around some of the greatest people in sports entertainment. In fact, Hogan had invited them to his lavish after-party, enjoying their company so much that it was now nearly three in the morning.

"Unzip me?" she asked him seductively, throwing her messy, long curls over her shoulder. Realizing he was more busy in his own mind, AJ adjusted his focus back to the woman, finding himself captivated once again by her charm. Almost instinctively, AJ found himself behind her, admiring a little freckle on her back that kind of looked like a sideways heart. Without thinking, or even wanting to, he pressed his lips against her back, her skin goosebumping underneath the gentle brush of his kiss.

"AJ," she breathed; it was almost like a warning. Ignoring her, he pulled the little zipper, the red dress sliding down further. Once more, she pressed her hand against the same dresser as she stepped out of it, and AJ couldn't help but look at the tiny red thong she wore, the small V-shape making her ass look better than her ring gear ever did. He also noted that she hadn't worn a bra; though he suspected the same, as her dress had been backless.

His hands found their way to her hips. Still standing behind her, he began to kiss behind her ears, relishing in the perfume she was wearing that evening. Lavender, he decided; and forever, he'd remember this moment whenever he smelled it. He was sure.

"Look at me, Chara," he murmured, and she turned, her eyes glistening from the pale cast of moonlight through the only window the room possessed. "Is this really what you want? Because I don't think I'd be able to go back to keeping our relationship to the ropes after this."

Her eyes skimmed over his face, and she stood on her tippy-toes in response, catching his lips with her own. They lingered there for a moment before she stepped back, carefully observing him as she began to untie the black tie he'd been wearing. "Do you know how long I've waited to kiss you?" she asked huskily, sliding the tie through the lapels of his shirt before going for the buttons. "I don't think I've ever been so attracted to a person in my life."

AJ shook the rest of his linen dress shirt off, then peeled off his undershirt. He wrapped his arms around the blonde, her breasts pressing into him, warm against his muscled chest.

"You're fucking beautiful. Did you know that?"

Chara giggled, looking up at him. She put her hand on his cheek, stroking his lips with her thumb before going in for a kiss. This time, she slid her warm tongue into his mouth, deepening the kiss and emitting straight passion. His mouth mirrored hers, his erection begging to be freed from his trousers. Ignoring the uncomfortable pull, he scooped the woman up, laying her across the lush duvet, her skin and hair a stark contrast to the coffee-color underneath her. As he began to unfasten his belt, he took in the entire scene. This beautiful girl that he'd been lucky enough to find lay nearly naked and needing his touch just as badly as he needed hers. It was probably too soon for them to formulate a real relationship, given that things had been broken off with her little boyfriend so recently. But there _had_ been something that could no longer been ignored between them. Someday, he could see herself being exclusive.

Now standing in just his boxers, he allowed his eyes to follow Chara's every curve, her hair looking impossibly angelic, as though she were surrounded by a golden halo. She finally crooked a finger at him, motioning him to come closer. He wanted nothing more than to rip off those tiny little lace things she claimed to be underwear, but she deserved a slow, escalating evening with him pressed between her thighs...

Kicking his shoes off clumsily and taking his socks off by stepping on the toe of each, he crawled towards Chara, hovering over her. Their sexes pressed against one another, he could feel the warmth of hers, only further turning him on. As he began kissing her once more, he was becoming increasingly aware of the tiny bit of fabric that restrained them from completely baring it all. After a short time of heavy, breathless kissing and roaming, AJ began to explore more of her body, running his hands down her hips until he met the little strings of fabric on either side. In one fluid motion, the little lace garment was gone. In response to his animalistic action, she hooked her thumbs inside the waistband of his boxers.

"Not yet, angel," he murmured as he began to kiss the bit of skin below her bellybutton. He watched her head throw back gently in pleasure, a small gasp filling the silence as he gently kissed the smooth mound he'd revealed earlier, allowing his tongue to travel lower.

"AJ!" she hissed when his warm tongue flitted across the little slit. He pressed forward, rubbing gently with his index finger before exploring further with his mouth. Tasting her, he held back a smile as she bucked backwards, unequivocally enjoying every motion he made against the most vulnerable, sensitive part of her body. As she instinctively pulled herself away from AJ's tongue, he pinned her down with his forearm, not allowing her to move away and forcing her to savor the gentle caress against her clit.

In a few short moments, she cried out his name, desperately clutching to the bed as her body shivered, the overwhelming sensation finally breaking her. Now, she panted quietly, small beads of sweat in her hairline. Smiling at her, AJ nudged her knees once more, his boxers sliding down his hips, his dick finally free.

"Oh, no you don't," she replied, somehow managing to flip him to lay _him_ down on the bed. She now straddled him, the slickness of her cunt resting against him. If he just moved a little bit, he would just slide right in...

"My turn to be in control, Mr. Phenomenal," she teased. With a flick of her wrist, he filled her; sliding in effortlessly into her slick cleft.

"Chara," he growled, his eyes closing in sheer bliss. She began to shift against him, controlling her speed expertly as she leaned back, her weight on her arms as she allowed herself to indulge in the moment. Each movement intensified, enjoying the rhythm she fell into quickly.

 _"Fuck!"_ AJ groaned as he grabbed at her hips, trying his hardest to pull her further down. Chara slapped his hands away, her pace quickening as a solution to his urge to turn the tables on her. No, she enjoyed having total domination; each little breath and moan he took only making her enjoy herself more. Finally, she got him where she wanted him. She had _him._

As she continued to slide against him, it seemed to take only a few more moments until AJ could no longer stand the tension building. Unable to hold back any longer, he allowed himself to spurt hot, thick come into her, absentmindedly hoping to the high heavens that one of the medications he'd seen her taking during their numerous training sessions was the Pill. For whatever reason, his body had responded without any control. Though it was worrisome, he decided it was a conversation they could have in the morning. Right now, she was busy enjoying the hot burst that had just invaded her. The look on her face was pleased; her own orgasm showing as her body reciprocated the same shudder as he had just seconds ago.

 _"Oh, AJ..."_

After quiet whispers throughout the next half hour, they finally fell asleep comfortably, no longer shying away from the obvious. Though sweaty and sticky, they slept entangled with each other, almost as though the lovers had done this a million times prior.

However, deep inside the jeweled clutch Chara had brought along with her that evening, her silenced cell phone had six text messages and two missed calls from the man that she'd just cheated on, unaware that things would soon come to a horrible, destructive ending in only a few short days.

* * *

 _August 23, 2016: Smackdown Live; Uncasville, Connecticut_

The stagehand brought the script for the evening straight to the Eater of Worlds, scurrying away like the rodent he was before the grizzly man could even utter a short 'thank you' in his direction. But after a once-over of the white papers, the leader of the Wyatt family couldn't believe the bullshit he was seeing; he could feel the rage building quickly in his gut. This was wrong. So, so wrong.

He found himself tuning out the Lunatic Fringe, both annoyed and sorry that he had been unfortunately correct about the damn creative team. Bray Wyatt excused himself from Ambrose, his eyes wild with deep aggravation. After all the hard work he and Chara had put into character development, into really _nailing_ the insane character of Abigail...he couldn't believe the absolute shit that had been handed to him that night.

Chara was here, hiding out around somewhere whilst avoiding her enemies-she'd mentioned she had quite a few run-ins in the past-looking forward to supporting the Wyatt family and thrilled to see what the writers had come up with upon receiving all of their compiled notes. Though she wasn't actually supposed to be appearing tonight, Hunter had asked her if she'd like to tag along, to get a feel for the main roster. However, he'd made it very clear that she wasn't supposed to be recognizable. With one simple snap of a phone camera, the whole allure could dissipate once Abigail _did_ debut officially.

So now that they'd taken that away, deciding that Chara should be a "local talent" and job to Naomi...well, that simply made no sense. There had to be something wrong.

So, Bray found himself walking straight into the office of Shane O'Mac himself, someone who he respected very much. Since Hunter was busy readying for a Takeover event, this was something that had to be brought to someone else's attention. If anyone could put an end to this stupidity, it would be a McMahon. It had been rumored that Shane had aimed to take control of the creative team a few years ago, eventually hitting a brick wall when he collided head-on with Stephanie on the way things ought to be run. In turn, Shane bowed out completely from the business until recently. Though it hadn't been confirmed, Bray was sure that that was one rumor that was a hundred percent valid. He couldn't help but wonder how the careers of some of his former Nexus partners might've turned out had Shane been behind the scenes.

Now, standing in the production room, watching monitors and mumbling about "horrid camera angles," Shane reminded Bray of Vince McMahon in so many ways. While Stephanie had always been on point with her character, Shane was more interested in everyone's _perception_ of the show and its characters. Shane was pointing a screen and digging out one of his three cell phones from his pocket, noticing Bray's presence only when he subtly cleared his throat.

"On second thought, hang on to that for a second. Freeze the camera and we'll toy with the pan in a moment," Shane excused himself, walking over to Bray.

"What can I do for you, Wyatt?" Shane asked, meeting the heavier man at the door. In response, Bray held up the evening's script; that was all that need to be said before Shane connected the dots.

"I hated it, too," Shane admitted. "I know you might not be happy with Creative here, but to be honest, I don't have much say in that department. There's really nothing I can do to change it, especially this late in the game-"

"Of course you can! I know Naomi is a very talented woman who deserves to be pushed to the top. But having her take the win over Abigail before the world knows she's Abigail? That's not only asinine, it's horrible writing. I really think Naomi deserves better than to have someone job to her, Shane."

Shane clicked his tongue in thought. "I'm not denying it's bad. It certainly wouldn't have been passed by my desk."

Bray groaned in frustration. "Okay, look. If the creative team messes this up, it could seriously handicap the entire illusion that I've created. Luke and Erick need this to go smoothly just as bad as I do. When the Wyatt family comes out, it's very mysterious. Looming. Similar to some of the things that the Undertaker did back in the 90s. Please, you've got to do something," he was aware of the desperation in his voice, but he didn't care right now. He'd built up his empire too high to crumble to something that was so preventable. "Besides," Bray continued, "I don't see how this is debuting Abigail. Where is this garbage going?"

Shane shifted his weight. "I believe that they're going to have your family encounter her here and there, ruining her matches, until finally, you reveal who she is..."

Bray shook his head. "No, that's not good at all. Abigail is the controller, not the controlled. She is supposed to already know who she is. Come on, Shane, please. Revisit and revise. Chara is going to be just as upset at this as I am once she sees this. She deserves better, too...she's put in a ton of character development work."

"I see," Shane responded, clearly reflecting on everything he'd just been told.

"Hunter had asked me to bring Chara just to acquaint her with the backstage bustle and her teammates. If I'd have known she'd be losing in a three-minute match to Naomi? I'd have told her to stick to her hotel room," Bray told the gray-haired man.

Shane eyed him carefully. "So you're saying that Hunter didn't let you know that Chara would be in a match this evening?" he asked.

"Of course not! I thought we'd go with what the original plan was. Not to mention, she didn't bring any ring gear of her own."

Shane McMahon stroked his chin with his forefinger and his thumb, deep in thought as his eyes stayed trained on Bray. "I'll admit, it doesn't do your storyline any justice. I think I can slide this one by on everyone, claiming it to be unnecessary due to time constraints. After that, I'll take a shot during the next creative meeting and make our opinions well-known. I can't give you any promises, but I'll certainly try. In the meantime, keep Chara under your family's watch. By this time tomorrow, we'll have a better understanding of how to go about this."

Bray gave him a steady smile, glad that the older man understood the concerns he'd had. "I appreciate it, Shane," he held out his hand respectively, to which the general manager shook. "I know there's a better way than this."

"I do, too," Shane responded. "In fact, send the ideas you two had formulated to Road Dogg...er, Brian, and he'll bring them to our meeting tomorrow."

"Of course," Bray promised. Shane's eyes flicked behind him, and Bray turned, suddenly aware of the shadow looming behind him. The figure wore black cargo-style sweatpants and a plain black sweatshirt, the hood pulled far past the eyes. Clad in hightop sneakers, the figure shifted uncomfortably behind Bray.

"Ah, speak of the devil herself," Bray side-stepped, allowing for the person to stand beside him. "Shane, this is Chara. Chara, Mr. McMahon."

Chara ever so slightly pulled her hood back, revealing her face to Shane. Her long, blonde and black hair was tucked into her sweatshirt, which gave off the thought that she could be either gender.

 _Smart woman,_ Bray thought to himself. He smiled lightly when Shane shook her hand, welcoming her to Smackdown. He smiled even more when the boss mentioned that Hunter had thought quite highly of her in-ring skill, and with the proper writing backing the Wyatt Family, he believed her persona could wreak havoc on the brand.

"I'm happy to be here," she replied nonchalantly. If she was overwhelmed, she certainly didn't show it.

"I'm looking forward to seeing if you live up to the rumors," Shane smiled back, and Bray couldn't help but ponder if it was meant to be a threat.

"I promise you, I will," Chara replied, looking up at him with her heavily darkened eyes. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could give it my all."

Now, Shane's eyes held some sparkle; it was clear that he liked what he was hearing. "We'll get the ball rolling for you, then. Chara, it was a pleasure to finally meet you,"

"Thank you, Mr. McMahon. You, too."

"Please, you guys. Mr. McMahon is my father. Call me Shane."

* * *

 _Later that evening_

Blowing out a long sigh, AJ Styles finally decided to do the one thing he really, _really_ didn't want to do.

He had awhile yet before his main-event match, eventually going toe-to-toe with both Dean Ambrose _and_ John Cena, so he had time to kill. He kept telling himself to stay out of it, that it wasn't his problem. But in a way, the last thing he wanted was to let the kid find out that shit was about to blow up really quickly in the same manner he himself had.

Though Sami had blatantly ignored him earlier, AJ figured he might lend an ear if he mentioned that, without a doubt, Chara would be joining them on the Smackdown Live brand. Though AJ hadn't heard whether or not she'd finished training with the NXT crew, he was certain that nobody had bothered to let Generico in on the secret. Shit, if he hadn't found out from his social media rep, he'd have never known the little slut had wormed her way into the WWE.

Okay, so he wasn't being totally fair. He knew that. But, unfortunately, he'd been caught in her web just the same; she lied to him and manipulated him. And while he'd never admit it now, he had cared deeply for her. He might even go so far to say that he loved her, way back then...

Chara had broken his heart, too.

Trying his damnedest to shake her from his mind, he focused on the redhead that was currently seated in Catering alongside Becky Lynch, another NXT call-up that hadn't quite made a full impact on the main roster.

"Sami," AJ greeted him, trying hard to keep his tone light. He reminded himself that the only reason the two men loathed each other was the pretty blonde that was sleeping with both of them a few years ago.

Sami Zayn's eyes flicked upward, darkness crossing his features. He didn't respond, casting his eyes back downward with a hateful gaze.

"Do you have a minute to talk?" AJ tried again.

"Can't imagine what you and I have to talk about, Styles," the response was quiet, but very aggressive.

"The only thing you and I have in common," AJ spat back. "Or rather, the only _person._ "

Now, Sami was listening, though his face showed that he was unconvinced.

"So the rumors are true?" the younger man said after a stretched moment. "She really is going to be here?"

"So you've already heard, then?"

"Sort of. I mean, the internet is full of crap most the time, and I didn't think she'd ever wrestle again," Sami responded simply.

"Well, the internet isn't full of crap this time. Chara will be here. She's in NXT training right now, dusting off some ring rust. But you and I both know that she's very good at picking things back up right where she left them. My guess is that she'll be roaming around backstage next week. I just thought you ought to know. I found out she'd been signed from my social media team, not Hunter. And I suspect that he didn't have the decency to mention it to you, either."

Sami twisted his mouth as though he had something to say, but didn't speak right away. AJ figured he was probably trying not to snap, his blood likely at boiling point due the lack of disclosure on the WWE representatives parts. How fucked up were they? And what was more, how fucked up was Hunter, knowing the deep, twisted history the three had? It had been hard enough to see Sami and vice-versa, and now, the reason the two despised each other so much would be thrown into the mix for Triple H's own sick amusement.

"I haven't seen her in a long, long time," Sami said finally.

"Neither have I," AJ responded. "But I didn't really want to, either."

"You wanted to see her when she was on her knees, though," Sami muttered, and AJ rolled his eyes, pretending to ignore him. No matter who said what, somehow, Sami Zayn still found AJ partially to blame in his affair with Chara. Though it didn't make much sense, it was something that wasn't going to change. Sami had made it clear that he was never going to forgive AJ Styles for sweeping the love of his life off from her feet, despite the speculation that it was Chara who had initiated their encounter to begin with.

Perhaps Zayn was feeling guilty now? Since he hadn't been there as the supportive boyfriend he should've been after Chara was released from Ring of Honor, it was fitting that he'd be touchy on the subject. He may have even seen himself as responsible for driving Chara straight into AJ Styles' grasp.

The two men stood together awkwardly for a moment longer, AJ beginning to think up some lame excuses for why he had to get back to the locker room. He couldn't handle being around this kid, the bitter memories that they'd shared five years ago still hanging in the air between them.

It was then that Bray Wyatt chose to walk by, a gleeful smile on his face as he talked in an excited but hushed voice to the dark figure beside him. The same dude in the black clothes that AJ had sent sprawling against the floor earlier now shook his head at Wyatt's every word, his arms crossed and shoulders slumped.

The two passed by Sami and AJ, and after they'd long turned the last corner towards the back entrance, the sworn enemies caught each other's eyes once more. Neither spoke, but somehow, they each knew what the other was thinking.

The potent smell of lavender had been left behind.


	9. Phantom

**Hopefully with a better summary, I'll gain a little bit more interest. Also, five days off from work isn't enough. Also also, I've been thinking about a re-write of All That's Left of Me, a story I have completed many moons ago but feel can be done better. And finally, if you're lurking, let me know if you love/hate/despise this chapter. I LOVE hearing it. It's the gift that keeps on giving. Anyways, enough chit-chat. Let's keep going.  
**

* * *

 _August 30, 2016: Dallas, Texas; the morning of Smackdown Live: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center  
_

Chara sat across from Shane McMahon and the dweeby Daniel Bryan, with whom she'd never really gotten along with. Sure, Bryan was an excellent technical wrestler, but there was something about him that just screamed overrated. That, and the wrestler she knew back during her Ring of Honor days that called himself the American Dragon would never have displayed his personal life for the world in exchange for more money and fame.

Some things changed, she supposed.

Bray sat beside her, still dressed in his clothes from his morning workout. His hands were carefully folded in his lap, awaiting the purpose of the meeting wordlessly. He'd told her last week that the WWE had almost thrown the Sister Abigail character out the window, but never really expanded on how they'd initially planned on doing that. "It'd only make you furious to know," he'd promised her when she'd asked him to further explain.

She trusted him, deciding that since technically Abigail was his own creation, he probably knew what the best way to implement her would be. So far, he'd been a great guide, a helping hand as she shakily stood on her feet while getting acclimated to the company.

"I trust that you two know why I've called you here so early," Shane finally spoke first, shuffling papers from a file folder. They were all seated along the outside of a conference table, the WWE having rented out a room for a few days that week. That way, they'd be able to handle business from the south all the way to Mr. McMahon's office in Connecticut, even with thousands of miles distancing them.

Shane pulled a stapled book of papers from his folder, the typewrite clearly a script. "Bray," he turned to the larger man, "Thank you for following through and sending your thoughts and ideas on Abigail's character along the vine. Brian James was quite impressed, and I think we've come up with something much, much better than those overpaid monkeys have."

"That's really great," Bray replied. "I'm glad you were able to sway things differently for us."

Shane chuckled. "Yes, yes. There was something that really resonated with me when you cornered me last week. That Abigail wasn't meant to be the hunted, but the hunter...something around those lines. Even though I know you're physically ready and able to compete, Chara-" he turned to the two-toned haired woman-"I think we'll have you continue training your in-ring abilities for the next month or so. In the meantime, we're really going to work the vignettes and promos. We're going to make it seem like Bray Wyatt and his family has a reason to be scared."

"Your first promo is tonight," Daniel Bryan spoke, still keeping his eyes on Chara, disdain for her being there at all gently laced in his tone. Chara couldn't say she was surprised that he wasn't on the welcoming committee; aside from their crossed paths many years ago, Daniel was now a mentor to Sami Zayn. Though Daniel never fought in TNA, some of his best friends were in Ring of Honor while Sami was. And unfortunately, word had gotten around more quickly than herpes.

It was quite clear that he'd chosen sides.

"But you don't have any lines. We're still hashing out the details on Abigail. Should she be strong and silent? Or should she be rude and vile? Either way, you will interfere in the Wyatt's match tonight, and you'll send Bray a warning," Shane continued on, Daniel nodding in agreement.

"So far, I'm liking this," Bray responded, allowing himself to sit a hair more straight in the awful chairs. He was all ears. But to Chara, that seemed far too easy. There had to be a catch...

"What kind of warning are we talking?" Chara asked, quirking her eyebrow.

"I'm glad you asked, _Chara,_ " Daniel replied, stretching out her name with a load of sweet bitterness to it. If she didn't know that he disliked her, it would have sounded to anyone else that he was being kind. "I worked really hard on the angle," Daniel gave a small smile, though she could tell he was holding back.

He motioned towards Shane, who promptly handed Chara the script for the evening. Though she hadn't read all the details, the header of the paper was enough to make her turn and run in the other direction. It caused her heart to stop, and she could feel bile rising quickly in her stomach. The bold, fierce letters splay across the stark white, reading: **_Bray Wyatt (Luke Harper) vs. AJ Styles._**

"Is this a joke?" she asked out loud, her brow now furrowing in anger. "Daniel, I know you have it out for me, and I get it. You're not the only one! But I don't think, given its my first actual event, that putting me in the mix with my former... _trainer_ is the way to showcase your disapproval," she argued. She was glad she'd quickly saved herself, not wanting Shane to know the awful details surrounding her reluctance to work with the Phenomenal One.

Bray shot her a sideways glance, his soulful eyes clearly reading one word: _Stop._

Daniel didn't say a word, but he bit his lip to hide a grin. He quickly put his hand to his mouth, stifling the following snicker that was nearly inaudible. Chara could've traveled down the couple chairs and smashed him in the face for being such a condescending prickbag. _He must've picked up his catty bitch attitude from that pretty wife of his,_ Chara thought to herself. Though she'd never met either of the Bella Twins, she'd heard plenty of negatives.

Instead of finding a tactful way of putting her gray boot through Daniel's skull, she calmed herself, allowing Bray to take over the speaking role. _Maybe Abigail as a strong, silent character would be better for me_ , she thought. Silently shaming herself for her emotional outburst, Bray cleared his throat.

"Even though Chara's got some hesitations, I think we can make it work. She's got the support of the Wyatt Family, and she's much stronger than she realizes. Chara, you won't be working alongside Styles straight away. In fact, you ought to read the rest of the script for tonight...it's quite good, actually. Though I must ask, gentleman, has Styles been given this script yet?"

"No," Shane replied coolly. "We wanted to get the green light from you two, first. It was a way for us to incorporate Bray Wyatt into the title picture. If we drag this out long enough and the right way, we hope to get Bray Wyatt a title run early next year."

"Unless, of course, Chara would prefer to retract to last week's script?" Daniel shot her a glare. Three sets of eyes turned to her, each of them burning red-hot into her face, though she couldn't find it in herself to meet a single pair with her own.

"Of course _not_ ," she replied tartly. "I've seen Bray's work. He deserves a title reign. Don't let me stop that," she gave an angelic smile to her fictitious brother. "Besides, we make a good team."

"That you do," Shane agreed. "So we've got that settled, then. Chara, continue to report to the training center on the weekends. By the time you are in a match, there should be very little, if any, stiff work. I'll be disappointed if there is. Over the next couple days, I need you to make an appointment with our lead seamstress, Sandra, to get your measurements."

"What for?"

"For your attire, naturally," Bray replied. "I sent my ideas along with the storylines. I'm sure you will find that I delivered to full potential?"

"Yes, who would've known that Bray Wyatt was also a fashion designer?" Daniel Bryan grumbled.

"I just know what this character should look like," Bray remarked, not missing a beat. "Although, I've always pictured Abby with dark hair. But I like this," he jerked his thumb back towards Chara, whose knotted, uncombed hair looked much like that of Christina Aguilera's tresses during her _Dirrrty_ phase.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daniel roll his eyes. Bray took the paper packet from the center of the table, ignorant to Daniel's rudeness.

"We'll look this over, then, Shane," Bray began to get up, knowing that the meeting was over. "I very much appreciate all the time spent on this. And of course, the opportunity." He held out his hand to Shane, who gladly accepted. Then to Daniel, who accepted, though very meekly. Chara followed his lead, her eyes burning into Daniel's when he shook her hand with as little contact as he possibly could.

"No problem. If there's something truly terrible, let me know, and we can fix it. But I think they've done a _phenomenal_ re-write," Daniel made a face Chara's way. Her blood was instantly boiling all over again.

"I'm sure it's great," she replied, keeping her tone even and her voice mellow. She was impressed with herself. Surely, once AJ Styles found out that he'd be coerced into a full-fledged storyline with her, things would be anything but great. In fact, he'd made it quite clear that she should never come into his life again...

 _Well, he'd be in for quite a shock!_

Bray and Chara were dismissed, and Bray handed over the packet for her to study. Shane had also written Seamstress Sandra's contact information at the top, she'd noticed.

They walked together for awhile, the only sounds in the corridors the simultaneous padding of their footsteps. Finally, Bray broke the silence.

"So, what'd you do to make Daniel Bryan hate your guts?" Bray asked, his question straightforward. They walked down the maze of hallways together, keeping their steps in tune with one another. She was surprised he'd mentioned it. Surprised that he'd picked up on the fact that he wasn't being as sweet as he came off to be; but rather, a total dickface.

"I just knew him back when he was less of a douchebag," she replied, deciding not to go into heavier details. The last person she wanted to lose any respect from was one of her stablemates who had been thus far kept in the dark about her murky past. "He can wrestle, no doubt. But he's got the personality and attitude of a high-school girl."

Bray chortled. "And so it's true, as you'd mentioned, that AJ Styles was your former trainer? That took a turn for the worst?"

Now, Chara's face turned red. She slowed her pace down, and Bray adjusted his speed, too. "I'm sorry if that struck a nerve," he said. "I've just heard some mumblings backstage, is all. I know your endeavors have intersected with many people."

"Backstage mumblings like what, exactly?" her voice sounded slightly more whiney than she wanted, certain that if he gave her the answer she expected he was going to that she'd end up sobbing in the heart of Texas.

Bray didn't say another word, the air now stagnant between them. And when she turned and looked him in the eye, he looked away. _He knew._

"I can never escape it!" she growled, coming to an altogether stop. "I knew coming here was a bad idea. Nobody can keep to them damn selves. What I did back then was childish, careless, and stupid. Believe me, I've paid the price for it for the last five damn years! The fucked up thing, though, is that AJ gets to go on with his life, succeeding in every country. He gets to go off and get married. Sami gets to shatter ceilings that he'd never dreamed possible. But me? I get labeled a whore, dropped from every promotion in the continental United States, and forced to pretend that I don't exist."

Bray put his hand on Chara's shoulder in a fatherly way, his blue eyes trained on her own. "Listen," he said slowly. "I don't care what happened five years ago. I don't care what happened five months ago. All I care is that you handle yourself properly, no matter the circumstance. I care that you execute your character with complete, whole-hearted confidence. You are here for a reason, and despite all the things that happened...Hunter chose you. _I_ chose you. No matter what, you are a part of the Wyatt Family."

Chara sniveled a little bit, not allowing the tears that begged to be freed to fall. "I'm sorry," she said in strained words. "I don't mean to bring this up so many years later. It's without question there's unfinished business between the three of us, but I respect that it will always be. The fact that I'm the only one that suffered the consequences, though...it destroyed me. Ruined my life."

Bray grimaced a moment, but enveloped her in a quick embrace. " _Almost_ ruined your life, Chara. This is where you decide it's not worth dwelling on anymore. This is where you bring a whole new aspect to the women's division. You can do all of this. If you can bring that angst to the ring with you every week, Chara...you won't have any issue being Sister Abigail. You can succeed. I'll be with you every step of the way. Just bring the anger you have right now to work with you, every single day, and you'll be a believable addition to our team."

Chara gulped back a sob, but contained herself quickly, shaking her head. "You're right," she stated. "This is a fantastic opportunity, and I'm aligned with a watchful squad. That's more than I could've ever hoped for."

"Good, good. You have what it takes, m'dear, that's obvious to me. Let's meet again an hour before the show. Make sure you get hold of Sandra, in the meantime...she should already have an attire prototype set for you. Feel free to change anything you're not comfortable with, within reason."

"Of course," Chara agreed, allowing Bray to put his cell phone number into hers. She now had...a whopping 19 contacts!

"Feel free to get hold of me whenever you deem necessary," he told her. "My job is to acclimate you properly and keep you out of trouble. I intend to do both. Even if it's just in a story, you're still my Abby."

* * *

 _August 30, 2016: Dallas, Texas; Smackdown Live_

Chara maintained eye contact with the monitor backstage, wearing a unisex outfit once more with her face being completely hidden. While she understood the worry about being seen and the element of surprise being squashed, she couldn't help but feel bored of her damned mind. She wasn't going to appear _at all_ tonight, and while at first she'd been a little put off by that, she grew to discover that maybe the slow introduction to the fans would be a more viable option. The idea that Shane and Daniel had come up with wasn't so bad, and it kept her out of the limelight for another week.

 _And off from AJ Styles' hit list._

She watched as AJ received a loud cheer as he entered the ring, still wearing the gloves that were completely pointless to the ring. His hair was much longer than she'd remembered. She tried to recall his outward appearance a week ago, when he'd sent her flying to the floor. She couldn't look up at him, obviously...but had his hair really been that long? She was surprised.

He was still sexy, even with the hair. She inwardly groaned, trying to ignore the piece of her that still somehow ached for him. She turned from the screen as the fans cheered, finding it harder to cope with seeing him in his niche than she had originally planned for.

Then, she watched as Bray's music began, the eerie swamp-like melody filling the arena as the fans brought their phones out, tiny LCD lights bobbing throughout the entire arena. She got chills as she watched his ghostly lantern slowly illuminate his path to the ring, Harper right alongside him. Chara felt proud to be in such a supernatural and exciting storyline, and even more honored that she'd be working with such an incredible group of performers.

She felt her heart leap when Bray blew out his lantern, the object sailing over to the responsible official. The lights came back on, and he was standing straight in front of AJ, an eerie smile playing on his lips. AJ looked concerned, but not frightened, taking a step back to stretch in the ring's corner.

With that, the match was underway, the two men's talent fairly balanced. It seemed to go on like that for an eternity until AJ gained offense, cornering Bray and focusing on taking his knees out from underneath him. As time played on, things looked awfully grim for the Wyatt family...until Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm. Harper provided a distraction, holding the man's ankle as he attempted to jump from the apron. He was rooted, with nowhere to go. In a quick burst of energy, he kicked off the lumbering man with his free foot, a drowsy Bray still revolving in the center of the canvas. But once AJ was mid-air, Bray froze, turning to look at him. With unearthly coordination and gracefulness, AJ managed to land on his feet, the forearm now at his side. Bray stood condescendingly close to him, their framed nearly touching. With wild eyes and a smile, Bray set up for a Sister Abigail...

But the lights went out. Then, there were whispers from the crowd. No, Chara decided, those were plugged whispers. Though they were incomprehensible, the noise caught interest of the onlookers. The whispering sound grew louder, followed by a girlish, child-like giggle. The colorless titantron showed a tiny little flower being stomped on, then the image went to an eerie masquerade mask. Then, a forest. In the distance of the image, there was a quick flash of hair among the willow trees, followed by quiet crickets playing their sad songs. And while the construct of images didn't make any logical sense to anyone, the interest of the onlookers grew once more when the lights slowly flickered back to life. AJ had ducked in the corner, a look of utter shock plastered on his countenance.

He was even more shocked, it seemed, that he was unharmed from the Wyatt family attack. In fact, when he saw that Harper had been slouched against the announce team's table and that his opponent had been knocked out cold, realization struck as AJ got to his feet. But as he neared Bray, he halted; locked on the broken doll that had been placed at the crown of Bray Wyatt's head. Kicking the toy with his boot, he pinned Bray for the three-count. While there were still cheers for the champ, there were also excited voices ringing through the crowd that the planted microphones had intended to pick up, and Chara got a fuzzy feeling in the pit of her stomach knowing that even at home, the viewers would be able to see the frenzy from the live crowd.

Pumping her fist in the air with gratitude, she cheered the rebirth of Sister Abigail. Though Abigail hadn't quite materialized into a mortal being yet, the idea was planted. And so far, it was going in the direction everyone had anticipated.

Even though it was a loss for her teammates, it was difficult to find herself feeling badly for it. In fact, the excitement rang through the arena still as the show closed out. In that moment, Chara realized that she actually looked forward to next week. With the commendable fan reaction, this was a storyline that built itself. All she would have to do now was play by the rules.

But playing by the rules never really was a strong suit of hers.


	10. Emerge

**I know, nobody saw it coming that Daniel Bryan was going to be a douche. I read him as a good guy ALL THE TIME. What fun is that? Let's make him a thorn in the side. Anyways, enough of me. Let's keep going.  
**

* * *

 _September 6, 2016: Lincoln, Nebraska; Prior to Smackdown Live  
_

"So you're telling me that I've got no choice but to be _forced_ into a storyline with her?" AJ was fuming, Shane McMahon's eyes piercing his as he stood his ground on the final decision.

"It's not really involving you, AJ. It's building towards a reconciliation between Abigail and Bray, which will cost you the title eventually. But until then, it's going to be more focused on evolving those two and how they're connected to one another. But as far as you're concerned, you will have to see her from time to time...but you can draw the line there, if you so choose to do that."

"Oh, I choose to do that, alright," AJ crossed his arms, wearing his favorite Georgia t-shirt in lieu of his own merchandise. "I thought it was bullshit how ya'll handled her to begin with. But now, this takes the cake. I can understand Cena eventually winning the title off from me, but where does Wyatt come into play here?"

"Well, to be honest, the fans have shown their support of this move. People like the idea of something different being pushed. Of _someone_ different. The WWE Universe hasn't seen anything quite like the Wyatt family before. If all the writing goes properly, it can go in the same direction as Taker and Kane did, many years ago. All it takes is solid writing and characters."

AJ snapped his gum, rolling his eyes. He knew he was being childish, but he hated when he was lied to. Or in this case, the management had just decided to omit facts from him, too afraid of the reaction he'd display if he knew the conniving secrets they'd been keeping. But the more he dug around, the more it was apparent he wasn't going to win this battle. He'd be seeing Chara's trashy ass all over the arenas, during matches, probably even at hotels. The more he thought about it, the more it bugged him. He acknowledged her hard work, of course; but how stupid could Hunter really be? She was unhireable for a reason. Her work in New Japan must have caught some serious steam if they'd gone and signed her on a whim, as it seemed they had.

"Anything else I can do for you, AJ?" Shane managed to stay level-headed, remaining professional even though AJ was certain there was a hint of disdain in his voice for the champion.

AJ grumbled a reply.

"Okay, listen. I understand that there's bad blood between you and Miss Wright. However, you've also been in this business long enough to let bygones be bygones and all that. It would also be unfair to hold Bray back, disabling him from shattering his own personal glass ceiling just because you disagree with the storyline that will be propelling him there. That being said, AJ, I expect you to carry out this feud with as much gusto as you've had formerly. Following the completion of this feud, we can re-negotiate your contract, and come up with some more fitting salary figures."

 _Fuck_. Yeah, the McMahon family sure knew how to open their pocketbooks in times of peril.

"I agree to your terms, Shane, but take note how much I dislike being lied to. Especially when it involves both my career and home life."

Shane smirked a response, and AJ turned to walk away, knowing he was reading the younger WWE billionaire's mind. That it was he, in fact, who had blurred the lines between career and personal life. And if he hadn't, he wouldn't be feeling this wrought over a damned script.

Keeping to himself as he walked backstage, seeking out the locker room he'd thrown his shit in when he'd arrived, he tried his hardest not to let the circumstances bother him. Chara Wright should have no immediate power over his feelings anymore, and by allowing himself to become so frustrated he'd done just that. He knew once he was forced to be standing opposite the ring with her, as he had many times before, he would have to swallow his pride and co-exist with her. It had been years since he'd written her out of his life, and the old saying "out of sight, out of mind" had played its part during that time. But now, that mindset wasn't possible. In fact-

"AJ, I'm so glad I ran into you," some new backstage reporter approached him, failing miserably as she tried to hide how timid and shy she felt around the champion. "My name is Brooke, and I'm doing a WWE Network exclusive piece on last week's Smackdown Live. Do you have a second?"

Completely caught off-guard, AJ agreed to the quick interview, though he told the newbie that he had a match to prepare for, so he couldn't be held back long.

"We've got a lot of fan questions regarding the paranormal interference during your match with Bray Wyatt last week," she spat out, getting straight to the point. "While Bray is known for many oddities during his matches, normally, it helps his cause. In this case, whatever it was that approached him managed to take out both Wyatt and his henchman, Erick Rowan. Do you have any insight for our WWE fans on what might have caused the Wyatt Family to-"

"No matter what it was, or who it was, that attacked Bray Wyatt and his band of swamp creatures," AJ interrupted, "Saved me a lot of work. Is it any surprise that whatever dark forces Wyatt's been summoning has come back to haunt him? No, I'd say not. All that aside, it keeps them off the map for awhile. In any case, I've got more important things to worry about, Becky, so if you'll excuse me," AJ pushed her WWE microphone out of his way, playing his heel persona spectacularly. Proud of himself for the impromptu interview, he watched as the reporter told her cameraman that her name was, in fact, _Brooke._

Once more within in his own thoughts, AJ carried on about his business. The match he had last week with Bray had caused such a buzz on social media, it should be no surprise to him that he'd be approached and asked questions about it. As Shane had pointed out, Bray Wyatt deserved a championship run. That was clear. He had the persona, the fan support, and the storyline. The emergence of Sister Abigail would solidify him, creating that final stepping stone between himself and the most valuable possession of anyone on the WWE roster.

But still, no matter how much he praised Bray, AJ had a hard time getting around the horrifying fact that the one person he had no hopes of ever seeing again would help him to victory. Even worse, the fact that he continued to be lied to about her by the company!

Suddenly, his head snapped up, a melodic laughter filling the silence. He turned to see Nikki Bella, standing in front of a salon chair as one of the ladies worked Nattie's makeup. With a small smile, AJ felt gratitude that it was Nikki's laughter that had torn him from his thoughts. As he continued to work with John Cena, he couldn't help but be drawn to the mega-star's girlfriend, too. He'd grown fond of her, finding her loving and goofy personality infectious. Deciding against sticking around for whatever gossip was being thrown out, he began to head away.

"I haven't actually met her yet," he heard Nattie mumble when he was presumably out of earshot, though her voice was clear as day. Nattie didn't really know how to keep things in a whisper. "But I do know she's got it going on."

"You've got to have it going on when you manage to bang a champ...I mean, I should know," Nikki Bella replied, and the two women giggled once more. AJ's face grew hot as he realized that the pair were actually talking about _him_. And by talking about _him_ , it was certain that they were talking about Chara. Which meant...

Realization settled in the pit of AJ Styles' stomach, and he felt like he could vomit. Knowing he had to get a hold of himself, he took a quick breath of air through his lungs before he turned to face the divas, ready to hear the truth that he didn't want to hear.

"I heard that she was seeing both AJ and Sami, which caused tons of drama," Nattie sorta-whispered. "And that got her fired from pretty much every wrestling promotion under the sun. Because nobody wanted to take a gamble on more drama, especially when AJ and Sami were...are...a few of the top two performers."

"Talk about slut-shaming," Nikki said back. "I don't know her personally, but if her ring ability caught AJ's attention, she probably deserved to wrestle just as much as those two did. Anyways, it should be interesting to see what she's capable of. It's about time we get some more women who know what the hell they're doing."

Natalya made a clicking noise, and AJ Styles decided to approach the pair so that they didn't continue their speculation. The less people spoke of his twisted past with Chara, the better.

But instead, he nearly turned straight into the mountain man himself, Bray Wyatt, his face bright and charismatic as usual.

"Hey, champ," the stocky man smiled, his beard nearly hiding the gesture. "Looking forward to working with you. Last week we killed it." Behind him, Erick Rowan stood still as a statue, his enormous body and stature nearly a foot above his leader. Next to him was the same hooded figure he'd run into earlier, the black sweatshirt pulled down. The other person kept their head down, and AJ couldn't help but wonder...

"Chara," he said quietly, absentmindedly taking a sidestep in the direction of the smaller person behind Bray. He expected the hooded figure to jump, the charade being over. Any indication that his guess was spot-on, that his former trainee was hiding underneath the bulky clothes to keep her identity unknown. But when the form didn't even slightly acknowledge him, AJ decided that it wasn't actually Chara masked beneath the black. He felt both relieved and saddened by this at the same time. On one hand, he really didn't want to see her. Didn't want to feel anything towards her, which he supposed was partially why he didn't want to work with her...

Yet on the other hand, just one glimpse of her...one smile, one look. That's all that it would take, and he would know that he either made the best decision of his life when he walked away from her, or threw away the one person who might've been worth it all in the long run. It had been so long since they'd seen each other, and AJ Styles, for the first time in years, was torn over that fact. Had he actually underhandedly caused her unemployment? Did she deserve the cold shoulder? Did he actually despise her as much as he claimed, or was he just salty that she'd broken his heart? Could they have gone on to be in a real relationship?

 _Knock it off, asshat. You're married now!_ AJ mentally scolded himself, picturing his wife's face the last time he'd seen her. Yet, the more he tried to picture his wife, the more she kept morphing into Chara. In a red dress.

 _Fuck!_

Bray kept on smiling, not wavering for a moment. As though he hadn't even heard AJ say a word.

"Uh...I'll see you in the ring, guys," AJ finally managed, the moment awkward for him as he found himself speechless. He forgot all about the gossip between the veteran women, his own feelings disoriented and uncertain. He really, really had to get over the initial shock of being around Chara again, or his entire game would be thrown off.

Bray stood there yet, still smiling as though he _knew._

* * *

"You know what kid? Having you around is going to be pretty interesting," Bray faced the hooded figure once AJ Styles had scurried off. Bray had found his reaction to her presence both intriguing and laughable, his normally top-notch professionalism taking presence over any of his personal feelings or insecurities. Somehow, even though he'd recognized his former protege's presence, Chara hadn't flinched. She stood still as a statue, even when he'd said her name.

Chara looked up at her mentor, a hint of smile on her face. "He knew it was me, though," she pointed out.

"No, he suspected it to be you. But you didn't allow your body to fail you by responding to your name. To be honest, that makes me proud," Bray offered. "As much training as you've been through lately, it's nice to see that in the workplace, you're able to separate Chara from Abigail. Keep it up."

Erick clamped an enormous hand on her shoulder, offering his gratitude as well, though wordlessly. He didn't speak much, and at first, she thought that maybe the red-bearded monster of a man resented her. But in that moment, she realized he just simply was a man of few words.

"I did rattle him, didn't I?" she smiled. "I'm interested to see how he reacts to me in the ring later tonight, then."

Bray Wyatt motioned for Erick Rowan to come closer, and he murmured something in his ear. He gave a quick nod, and then seemingly repeated whatever he'd said as Bray mumbled to the girl.

The trio was totally oblivious to Nikki Bella and Natalya still in the background, both of them wearing similar expressions. Nikki covered her half-open mouth with her hand, getting out of the way as the makeup artist who had been working on Nat stepped back to admire her own work. Nikki and Nattie paid no mind as the artist sprayed some setting spray on Nat's forehead, watching as the stagehands folded themselves against the walls, trying to get out of the way of the Wyatt family as they floated down the long hallway. Nikki couldn't help but to be intrigued, because in truth, Bray Wyatt didn't have a mean bone in him. Yet, people feared him simply because of the company he kept, keeping his inner circle impossibly small.

"What the hell was that?" Nikki whispered, keeping her voice low once the three had rounded a corner. There weren't many passerby's yet, but she didn't want to take the risk of someone hearing them, then accusing them of eavesdropping. They already had been warned by the talent relations director that they needed to watch the teenage gossip once this week. "Did I really just see AJ like, totally lose his shit?"

"No kidding," Natalya replied. "I seriously just watched the so-called 'Face that Runs the Place' flounder over some girl!"

Nikki slid her tongue along her teeth, putting her hand on her hip. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say either he was bitter that she came to his stomping ground, or..."

"He hasn't quite gotten over her at all," Natalya finished, her eyes flashing mysteriously. "Or, probably both. I can't imagine how awkward that must be for him. Or her! Or-"

"Sami," it was time for Nikki to finish the blonde's sentence. The foot traffic had began to pick up backstage, indicating that the beginning of the show was drawing nearer. That meant they had to wrap up their gab fest and get ready for their match later on that evening. She was suddenly hyper-aware of all the people that were pushing past, and she could gather it was a lot closer to the beginning of the show than she'd originally thought.

"You know, it's possible that Sami doesn't know," Natalya pointed out, grabbing her wrist cuffs from the table next to the salon-style setup. She already wore her gear for the evening, and Nikki couldn't understand how her friend had managed to sit still in the spandex for as long as she had while getting her face made up.

"Sami doesn't know what?" the adorable redhead's face suddenly appeared between them, a giant smile on his face. It was exactly what Nikki had hoped _wouldn't_ happen, but that's how it was when it came to backstage. There always seemed to be somebody somewhere, and even if you didn't want them to hear, they certainly would. Whether it be firsthand or by word of mouth, there was always chatter. Which, Nikki thought, wasn't fair to herself or Natalya for being talked to about their gossiping when _literally_ the entire locker room tended to get involved.

"Erm...well, TJ has an appointment tomorrow. And we're hoping that it goes well. Because if it does, then he'll be cleared to begin training again in the NXT performance center," Natalya covered quickly, looking at Sami's smiling face, then quickly glancing downward at his white wrestling boots. Nikki could clearly tell that her friend was lying, but Sami didn't know Nat as well. That, and he was still totally naive.

"Wow, really? That's great to hear! Does Cesaro know? Oh, nevermind, I'm sure he does. Good to hear, though. He's really having a hard time getting along with Sheamus. Hopefully all goes well for TJ. Let him know I wish him luck," Sami spewed out the thoughts quickly, and Nikki had a hard time keeping track of everything he'd just said.

"Of course I will, Sami. But nothing's for sure yet, of course. It just depends on how well he's healed," Natalya continued. "All we can do is hold on to hope."

Sami went to say something, but a large stagehand dragging heavy equipment behind him and wearing noise-cancelling headphones walked through the distance between the two women and Sami, a full clipboard tucked beneath his arm. He bellowed out a warning, indicating that the show would go live in ten seconds. With that, the bustling grew even more as people began to head in every which way, getting to be wherever the needed to be. The Smackdown Live introduction music began playing backstage, and Nikki followed Sami Zayn's gaze as he eyed the monitor that had been mounted to the wall for the evening. The words _**Up Next: AJ Styles confronts the Wyatt Family**_ lit up the blue screen, indicating to the viewers both at home and in the arena that the first thing they'd be in store for would be a promo, albeit a creepy one.

Sami visibly bristled as he read the screen, scoffing a little as he turned back to the women. "Well, guess that means I'll get going. I've got a match after this useless promo," he quickly said goodbye as he exited.

"That was close," Natalya muttered once he was out of earshot. "C'mon, Nic. Let's get going, too. We've gotta find Carmella and Becky to make sure we're all on the same page for some of our spots in our match tonight," she tugged at Nikki's red manicured hand, weaving through the crowd of people as though they were parting a sea.

"Who knew you were such a good liar?" Nikki said with a small giggle.

"Oh, screw you," Natalya replied. "I just really don't want to see that little guy bummed out. He doesn't deserve to be, y'know?"

Nikki began to reply when she'd heard Renee Young say hello to her from somewhere, but she was unable to locate the actual direction she'd heard the pretty interviewer's voice from. She called a random 'Hey!' out in response, but still didn't seen the blonde. Whatever, she'd catch up with her other friend later.

* * *

Chara watched in silence as the beginning of the show started. She watched as AJ got the same warm welcome he had last week, and found herself biting her nails as he motioned for the microphone. She wouldn't be involved in this promo, but she would be present for part of the match at the end of the night. But between Bray and AJ's promotional skill, she didn't really need to be part of this segment.

She found herself enjoying AJ's persona, his words believable and heel-ish as he mentioned that it was clear to him that Bray Wyatt had managed to summon some kind of evil while playing with his Ouija board. He went on to say that whatever it was that he'd unleashed clearly had it out for the Wyatt family, and was probably a destructive, demonic entity. For once, the vile Wyatts had possibly met their match-either that, or AJ Styles had an angel watching over him.

Chara was so engrossed in AJ's words that she literally jumped when the beginning screechy musical chords struck, indicating the Wyatt family's portion of the promo. The arena's lights dimmed down as Bray's face appeared on the titantron, rocking in his chair deep in thought.

"An interesting idea you've brought to my attention," Bray said to nobody, not making eye contact with the camera. "That perhaps there is a force that I have summoned. That is watching my every movement, upset with the paths I've chosen to take..."

"But no matter! Because I know, that whatever fate is carved out for me...I've got the power to change it. It is the light that guides me. When you are the face of evil, you can change outcomes. And in that, I know...I am not doing something I ought to be doing. Whatever entity has set its sights on my swampland is not pleased...but I can sway. Oh, I can sway...and you, AJ...you are just in the way."

The camera focused on the white sheep's mask that Erick Rowan wore, before Bray finally snapped his head to look at the camera, beginning a hair-raising, disturbed fit of cackling. The screen suddenly cut out, and the lights slowly started to flicker on. AJ's eyes knit together in uncertainty, but he feigned a frightened jump when the same broken doll that had been present last week not sat in the ring once more, turned away as though it was watching the titantron.

Chara was impressed by the work, and found herself stifling a giggle as the camera had to quickly pan away from AJ as he visibly muttered _"What the fuck?"_ before punting the doll to the outside of the ring.

AJ exited the ring seconds later, leaving the microphone on the announce table as his DMX song began to play, confirming the segment's end.

* * *

Bray had been on the receiving end for most the match, but managed to keep up just fine with AJ Styles' quicker, more determined pace. It wasn't until Rowan had thrown Bray's limp body back into the ring before the impending count-out that the match would begin to turn in to the opposite direction. Chara sat beneath the announce table, trying hard not to get stepped on by the team as they excitedly turned around and about in their rolling chairs. She

"Okay, and now...cue Abigail," the stagehand in front of the announce table muttered, and he snapped his fingers three times. With that, the lights went out, all three of the figures in the ring fading into the darkness.

Now, Erick Rowan was hiding under the ring, and in his place was Chara...nope, it wasn't Chara. This was Abigail. She wore a brown cloak, masking her face, but her white and black hair hung out. She wore thick, worn brown leather gloves and matching boots. The cloak was stitched together by twine, making it look much more rustic and wild than it actually was.

The lights turned on just as quickly as they'd been off, and at first, nobody seemed to notice the swap in characters. AJ had just shrugged, then carried on the match. The fans had actually caught on to the switch first, of course; a few had even yelled at Bray to turn around. Though he had to have heard the warnings, Bray was an expert in his craft and went on with his business, gaining momentum until AJ caught him with an enziguri, halting him in his tracks before peeling the larger man back up from the canvas, forcing him to run towards the ropes.

But Bray reversed using the ropes, holding on tightly to them as AJ tried to catch him with a forearm. He got a whole lot of air, falling to the mat as the wind got knocked out of him. Wyatt let out a theatrical howl of laughter as he began to set up for a running senton-but then took notice that Erick Rowan had shrunk about a foot. He halted, turning as his eyes bore into the figure, clearly worried and perhaps even frightened that there was an unknown presence that had followed him to his match. The camera closed in on his shocked face, his bright blue eyes staring at the hooded figure that stood where Rowan had been just moments ago.

The same whispering audio had been plugged, the sound both annoying and intriguing. The sound grew louder and louder, before in a cinematic way, hushed completely. Chara pointed a gloved finger at Bray, making a motion with her finger at the same time Bray must've realized he was still in a match. Turning around, he was met with a Styles Clash. And, after the three-count, he'd lost once again.

The lights went out once more, and she slid into a hiding spot under the ring, and Erick Rowan slipped back out. It only took a few seconds to make the switch, and now Rowan was standing in the exact same position she had been, looking as though nothing had happened at all.

When the lights had turned back on, the frustration and confusion was eminent, but AJ Styles just laughed as Bray got out of the ring and began to push at Rowan, inaudibly asking him what the hell happened, and who was at ringside. Rowan responded by pointing to himself, as though he was unaware he'd ever been gone.

Raising his belt in the air, AJ shook his head at the Wyatts once more before exiting the ring.


	11. Challenge

**Let's keep going. Thanks bunches to those who have followed this story! Feel free to tell me if you love or hate it, as reviews tend to kick me into the next gear. :)  
**

* * *

 _September 20, 2016: Bermingham, Alabama; Following Smackdown Live  
_

"Another fantastic performance as Abigail," Bray Wyatt clapped Chara's shoulder, pleased with the petite blonde once more.

She hadn't yet had her identity revealed for the WWE Universe, but the rumblings on the internet had pretty much pegged the emergence of her character. She supposed that, so far, it had been well-kept under lock and key. As far as she or any of those who handled some of the WWE Twitter accounts, nobody had yet accused that the former TNA Knockout was the now playing the newest member of the Wyatt Family. It was almost as though she had never existed in the wrestling world at all.

Which, she couldn't help but laugh at. Because some of the things she'd accomplished, especially as a woman, ought to be recognized. But to a lot of fans, until a person finally got signed by the WWE, they were irrelevant. Yet, when AJ Styles had been signed, people already knew who he was. People knew how _good_ he was. She wished that with any stride of luck, she'd be thought of similarly. She could only hope.

Chara grinned as a response, pulling the leather hood from her cloak down to reveal her messy, tousled two-toned hair that she hadn't bothered to brush that day. She was sweating like a pig, but still had worn the costume through her entire walk backstage to avoid her picture being snapped. As bad ass as her current costume was, it was damn heavy. She couldn't help but look forward to when she was able to shed that leather garbage bag and get into real ring gear. And get into the ring, for that matter.

"You really must be afraid of me," Chara laughed in response to Bray, her smile wide. "I doubt even _you_ can act that frightened of little 'ol me," she batted her eyelashes at Rowan, who managed a half-smile-not a bad look on him, unfortunately one he didn't wear often.

Tonight, during a black-out, she had been standing over Bray's smashed rocking chair, with Rowan nowhere in sight from ringside. Next week, Bray was scheduled to call out the omniscient figure, but she wouldn't actually unmask...er, in this case, de-cloak, until the next Pay-Per-View. Until that happened, she would begin a slew of other promos in similar fashion to Bray's, which Shane McMahon had compared to images that the movie _The Ring_ was famous for. The plan was for a huge, long story to unfold...that Bray had been jealous of Abigail as a kid, that he left her out in the woods and she was never found...and she was looking for revenge.

The last week had been such a blur for her, with meetings left and right, with more in-ring training in NXT, with tons of phone calls from the talent relations guy, Mark, and another handful from Hunter. She'd gotten to know Bray pretty intensely during the time and had met his wife for the first time a few nights ago.

She was managing to keep herself busy with such a hectic schedule, and it was a welcomed distraction to stay focused on the days in front of her. Yet, she still found herself feeling very, very alone.

Sure, she was living the dream so many had yearned for, and she was making plenty of money and would slowly be building towards even more if she was well-received by the WWE fans. But it was so hard to push aside the loneliness, especially during shows. She hid around backstage and in the Wyatt's locker room mostly, keeping to herself but wishing she could walk around and meet some of the people she'd be working with. Her anxiety was beginning to claw at her, though. She had yet to see Sami, and what would happen once she did? The last time she'd bumped into AJ, she'd managed to hold it together quite well. But, deep down, she knew she wouldn't be able to do the same when it came to the underdog from the underground.

"Chara? You there?" Bray waved his hand in front of her face, and she shook her head in response. She hadn't realized that she'd totally zoned him out, her cheeks flushing as she came back to reality.

"I'm...so sorry," she muttered. "Just a lot has happened this week. I hope all goes well."

Bray smiled, putting an arm around her. "Stick with me, kid, and you'll be great," he replied, reiterating the line he'd used in the past. "But I was asking if you wanted to grab a bite? There's a little hole in the wall bar down the road that serves some pretty good food. Doubt anyone else will be there...most of our colleagues prefer to go to establishment restaurants following our shows. Don't know about you, but I'm starved."

"I could use a cold one," Erick Rowan said, not looking at the other two. Chara jumped at the sound of the larger man's voice, having hardly ever heard it before.

"Too right you are," Bray shook his head in agreement. "We should all celebrate, the unity of the Wyatt family! Hopefully, we get the fourth member back soon," a dark look passed over his normally bright face, thinking about the injury that had sidelined Luke Harper for far too long. While he was busy recuperating, the story had to go on without him. Once he was finally cleared to return, the four would probably run Smackdown.

"Sounds like a plan," Chara smiled. "But...if you guys don't mind, I really need to shower. That thing I wear to the ring is heavy and makes me sweat. I probably smell like a forgotten gym bag."

"Is that whining I hear?" Bray asked, poking fun at her. "No problem, Char. Just use the locker room at the end of the hallway as nobody's claimed that one. That way, you can have your girly privacy. Just meet us back here when you've finished up, and we'll ride down together."

Chara agreed, although she did so reluctantly. She grabbed her bag and headed straight down the hallway, jiggling the handle of the door that Bray had pointed out as a vacant room. It clicked open, and she flicked on the lights, her eyes adjusting as they brightened. There was a tiny shower in the corner, the sliding glass having a crack down the center of it. With a quick sweep of the room, she didn't see a single indication of another person's belongings. With a sigh of relief, she stripped the cloak off quickly, pulling her fuchsia colored towel and toiletries from the bottom of her bag before trying to decipher the hot/cold situation on the shower's handles.

Finally, she decided that the water was at a decent enough temperature to get in. Stripping her clothes off quickly, she slid on some flip-flops she used as shower shoes before stepping under the warm stream. Allowing the hot water to lick her skin, she grabbed for her Bath and Body Works mint and eucalyptus body wash, barely able to reach it from where she'd set it after pulling it from the bag. Lathering herself up quickly, her heart sank as she heard the tiny little click of the door.

 _Fuck! I forgot to lock the door!_

"Uh...hello?" she called out, trying to peek through the crack in the shower. Nobody answered. Panicked, she quickly rinsed the soap off from her before making a quick grab for her towel. Once she did, she realized that it was stuck on something...

No, someone was tightly holding on to the other end of it.

"Ah, so it is you," the person on the other end smiled as Chara tried to hide her naked figure behind the sliding door. The voice was certainly a woman. And one that she recognized, at that...

"What the hell are you doing here!" Chara exclaimed in excitement, ripping the towel out of her old friend's hands before draping it across her body, cautiously stepping out of the shower. "Wait. First of all, you totally scared the shit out of me. And second of all...what the hell!"

Mickie James gave her a huge hug, stepping back as she looked her over. "First of all, you look great. I had a feeling it was you under that jacket thing these past few weeks, even though nobody would confirm that in the company. And as for me? Well, I just got out of a meeting with Shane McMahon," she proudly explained, beaming as she said the words. "I'll be returning to WWE television next month at NXT's Takeover event. Then, early in January, I'll be rockin' and rollin' into Smackdown. Finally," she added the last part with a quick roll of her eyes.

"I haven't seen you or talked to you in ages," Mickie continued as the silence began to loom over them. "Why didn't you answer my calls?" she looked both hurt and angry, and Chara hated that she'd disappeared from her friend's life.

"I...I'm really sorry," Chara responded lamely, fumbling in her bag for some clothes to wear. "After that night...after everything..."

"You never told me you were going to Japan, either," Mickie accused, eyeing her suspiciously.

"I thought you hated me," Chara finally said. "Because you were right, and I was playing with fire the whole time I was messing around with AJ. I broke Sami's heart. And I ruined our match..."

And that's when the tears began to pour down Chara's face, finally succumbing to the overwhelming emotions she'd been feeling about the entire experience thus far. She'd managed to keep all of her feelings tucked deeply away for so long that she didn't realize how badly she needed to just let it all go.

Mickie's expression softened as she draped her arms around Chara's bare shoulders, taking a thumb and wiping away a tear before pulling her in for another huge hug. If anyone would have walked in on the scene, it would have looked totally awkward. But in truth, the women were, at one point, close friends with a deep, trusting history. Years ago, they would've taken literal bullets for each other, their friendship on a soul-mate kind of level. For whatever reason, they connected quickly way back when, and it was unfortunate that their relationship had ceased.

"I didn't mean to upset you, Chara-coal," she mumbled into the blonde's wet hair. "Your stupid choices aside, I've missed you. It killed me that you disappeared from my life like you did."

Chara broke the hug first, wiping a few stray tears from her cheeks before heading towards the curtained bathroom, her clothes tucked underneath her arm. Mickie waited right outside as she changed, not saying anything more.

"I thought...I think everyone still hates me for what happened. I just burned so many bridges that night. I know how disappointed you were with me, Mick. I'm not stupid, you gave me a fair warning...and after that, you know, I got dropped from all of the US promotions. I had to make money, and quick. I didn't tell anyone I was heading to Japan, not even my family..." she finally spoke to the older woman through the curtain, pulling on her black leggings awkwardly so she didn't trip over the toilet. Her explanation was rushed and weak, but it was the truth. She had decided that falling off the face of the earth was in everyone's best interest, because _she_ managed to damage so many people's lives with one guilty pleasure: AJ Styles.

"I never hated you, babe. And I think you'd find, if you just apologized, that a lot of people are over it." Mickie's eyes looked her friend up and down once more when she'd emerged, giving her a thumbs-up. "Lookin' good," she smiled. "Although, you have a darkness following you now. I miss the bright, bubbly character you were."

"Yeah, well, shit happens, and I've changed," Chara replied, her response sounding sharper than she'd intended. "And you know that there are a few people who won't get over it. I've made a lot of enemies that I never expected to. Like Daniel Bryan, for example...he's the reason I've been put into a storyline with AJ."

Mickie rolled her eyes once more. "Well, fuck 'em, then. Who knows? Maybe AJ is looking forward to seeing your pretty mug again."

Chara breathed a salty laugh. "Yeah, okay," she said quietly, twisting her wet hair into a quick braid. "I overheard Bray the other day with Creative. Apparently, AJ had a lot more objections than I thought. Luckily, I've managed to get Shane McMahon on my good side, somehow..." she trailed off, slightly annoyed that AJ had tried to put a halt on Bray's success. What right did he have to do that?

"Have you seen Sami at all?" Mickie asked next.

"No. No, and I'm trying not to bump into him. I can hardly stand being around AJ during our shows, even when I'm fully covered up under that robe thing. He knows that it's me, I'm sure of it. But I don't think I could handle being by Sami."

"When did you last speak to Sammers, if you don't mind me asking?"

At first, the image of him asking Chara if she loved AJ flashed in her head, speaking through the gauze he had in his mouth. But, as it turned out, during her time in Japan, she'd sent him a message saying she'd love him forever in a drunken stupor while out and about with a few of her newfound friends. That message was read, a tiny red checkmark confirming that he'd seen it. But he never responded.

To this day, it still broke her heart a little. Something that she completely deserved.

She was ready with her reply, planning on telling her friend that she hadn't actually held a conversation with her ex-boyfriend since the night he'd showed up at her TNA event. But once she opened her mouth, the door of the room they were in began to pound.

"Char? You still in there?" the voice came from Bray, and realization struck her features as she checked the time on her phone. They'd been in there for almost 45 minutes, much longer than anticipated.

"Oh, shoot, I'm sorry. I had a hard time figuring out the shower. I'll be right out!" she called back. It wasn't exactly a lie, anyways. And she didn't know if she should reveal Mickie to her stablemates, either. She gave her friend a pained look, which Mickie read properly and drew her in for another hug.

"Just don't keep closing yourself off from everyone, Chara," she said once they were apart. "I really missed you, and I don't want you to feel like you're alone. Besides, you and I are together again. I'm gonna need the moral support, anyways, once I show up on Smackdown to stay. You know, I got into a little trouble myself back in the day with John Cena, remember?"

Chara did recall Mickie telling her about the romance she'd shared with John immediately following his divorce, and how it had eventually gotten her released from the WWE once it had gone sour.

"So now I have to see him every Tuesday night. Even more exciting for me, though, is I now have to be working alongside his current girlfriend...who is ridiculously gorgeous, might I add."

Chara shot Mickie a look of sympathy, glad that she didn't have to work alongside any new girlfriends in addition to former love interests. At least, she didn't think she did...

"Oh my god, I didn't even think of that," Mickie quickly realized exactly what the frozen expression related to on Chara's face.

Chara bit her lip, trying to stop it from quivering. She couldn't afford any more tears tonight. But the possibility of complete emotional destruction loomed over her. She couldn't even imagine being around AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, and a potential Sami Zayn girlfriend!

"Well, what I don't know can't hurt me," Chara replied steadily, stuffing her items that were askew back into her bag. She tossed on a black beanie and a long cardigan before shoving her feet into tall gray boots, trying to look as normal as possible. Trying to blend in.

"You go ahead," Mickie made a motion towards the door. "Your band of swamp creatures are waiting for you."

Chara nodded curtly, not defending her mentors as she should have. She turned the knob briskly, and Bray stood right outside as Mickie had promised he'd be doing, ready to go. She was wary, unsure if he'd heard her conversation with Mickie. The walls of the arena were paper thin, after all...

"Man, chicks are slow," he commented to nobody in particular, but Rowan nodded regardless, folding his arms across his chest. Both of them looked totally strange in normal clothes, something she didn't think she could ever get used to seeing. He said nothing else, and Chara was relieved that he didn't bring up her drawn out time in the abandoned locker room again.

They made their way to the parking garage, and Rowan unlocked the door of a dark blue SUV. Chara slid into the back, grateful to have the space to relax and stretch out a little bit. Whenever they traveled together, she ended up in the backseat, something that she didn't mind one bit. It also allowed her a moment of privacy. She'd forgotten to get Mickie's phone number, though, so she still had nobody to talk to during the ride. Instead, she just listened to the men talk about the slew of horror movies that would be coming to theaters in 2017 until she got bored of it and plugged headphones into the jack of her phone, opting to lose herself in some angry, violent music.

* * *

The bar, as it turned out, was a little bit further down the road than either of the men had originally thought. They'd driven by it three times, actually, until Bray pointed to the half-lit OPEN sign flickering in the window. It wasn't clearly visible from the road and was tucked back a little further than the neighboring businesses.

By the time the ratchet-looking bartender with huge tits and horrifying hair, a bleach job with black roots, swung by and gave them greasy-feeling menus, Chara's stomach was literally grumbling. Bray snickered at the sound, ordering a round of beers for the three of them right away. Taking a quick sip of the bitter liquid, she glanced around the dimly lit area. There was a group of men playing pool in the back corner, a few older men down the bar, and a young couple trying their hand at the dart board. Besides for that, it was a relaxed atmosphere, and everyone seemed to be minding their own business.

Finally, big boobs-who was apparently named Lisa-took their orders down, posting the ticket up for the guy that was cooking in back.

The three engaged in small-talk, the fatigue from that evening's events beginning to take its toll on each of their bodies. Tomorrow at stupid o'clock in the morning, she needed to meet once more with seamstress Sandra, who had a few sketches ready for Chara's ring gear once she dropped the creepy, smelly cloak. Bray had a charity thing he had to attend, and Rowan was finally going to head back to his home for a few days.

Their food had been delivered quickly, Chara diving in to the greasy french fries placed before her. She was focused intently on swirling each glorious potato into her ketchup when suddenly, the trio was approached by one of the men who had been playing pool over in the corner.

"Bray, Rowan. Nice to see you here," a handsome yet enormous man smiled in the background, his hair tucked underneath a gray hat similar to Chara's. He motioned towards the blonde with a little smirk. "I knew that you guys were tag-team partners, but don't you think you're taking things to a whole new level?"

She didn't catch on to the crude humor at first, but Erick Rowan turned swiftly in his bar stool, his eyes intense. He looked ferocious, ready to protect Chara if necessary. Finally, she realized, this guy was insinuating that she was sleeping with both of these men! How fucking...ew!

Bray finally turned in his stool to face the standing man, too, his eyes fixated on the enormous figure. He didn't look angry, though. He was a master at keeping his overall features passive, without a care in the world that this tattooed giant stood looming over them.

"Piss off, Corbin," he said after analyzing the guy. "This is Chara. Chara, this lovely troll is Baron Corbin. He doesn't have manners, unfortunately."

She gave him a nod, dismissing him once more before turning back to her fries. Somehow, she was intrigued by him, despite his nasty attitude. He looked like he had a bone to pick, his animosity clear for the world to see. And maybe, she thought between bites of food, he embodied the feelings she had on the inside, but displayed them proudly.

Baron Corbin ignored her cordial greeting as though she wasn't even there, then continued on with the other two.

"Which one of you sally's wants to try their hand at pool?" he leaned forward.

Erick didn't respond, and Bray chuckled lightly. "You've got plenty of competitors, Baron. Why don't you just let us carry on?"

Finally, Baron's eyes fell on Chara. "What about you?" he asked finally, as though she was possibly the last person he'd wanted to speak to in the entire world. "I could use some cheap entertainment. If you want, we can even do a round of 'strip pool,'" he suggested ludicrously, the band of gentleman behind him chortling with drunken laughter. Chara rammed the last of her fries in her mouth before standing, not saying a word. She walked over to a small, sketchy dude wearing a do-rag, analyzing his cue stick before taking it from his hot hands. With a round of cheers and jeers, she walked around the pool table, racking up the colored orbs.

Corbin went first, managing to sink a solid-colored ball easily. One of the assholes behind him told Chara to take off her sweater, to which she obliged, but only because she had to get the bulkiness out of her way before she began to line up her shot.

After some time, they had accumulated many more spectators. Whoever this angry biker dude called Baron Corbin was, he sure had his foot in his mouth now. She'd managed to keep up with him the entire time, and she'd managed to gain a small section of cheerleaders in the process. The large man was clearly getting discouraged, not enjoying the possibility of defeat clouding over the table.

Finally, it was down to the final shot of his. If he nailed it, he'd win. If he didn't, she probably could. He watched her as he rounded the table a few times, brushing his hands along her waist as he walked past her. She felt an instant chill; she hadn't been touched like that in...shit, who knew? But it didn't matter. As handsome as Baron was, he was both ruthless, vile, and a straight up brute. He had more qualities of a modern-day caveman than he should have.

"Did I distract you?" he kept his voice low, so that their onlookers didn't catch it. That didn't matter, though; the electricity that passed between the pair was distinct. The goons he'd been gaming with earlier made kissy-faces, to which Baron responded promptly with a tall, proud middle finger.

"You're cute, Chara. And you've got a good game. But when it comes to me...I don't dig losers," he shot his final shot, sinking the ball into the pocket effortlessly.

There was a loud groan, a lot of cheers, and hushed talking as money exchanged hands. She realized that people had actually placed bets throughout the game, and the room was pretty well split. She shrugged off the loss, disappointed yet certain that if they played round two, she could steamroll him. Baron arrogantly relished in his victory, receiving back-pats from people he'd probably never met before. Chara handed the cue-stick back to the small creeper in the do-rag before stalking off, sliding back into the chair alongside her brothers.

"Not bad," Rowan stated, nursing another beer.

"Thanks," she beamed. "I was really, really good back in the day. It's been awhile."

"Too bad you couldn't shut him up," Bray spoke now. "Want another drink? I'm going to finish mine, then I think I'm headed back. Speak now, or none for you."

"I don't know, I'm good," she replied. As she said just that, the bartender slid a clear liquid in front of her. She shot her a questioning look, and the nasty blonde chick played it off as though she didn't know who would've sent it her way.

"What is it?" she questioned before allowing the liquid to touch her lips. It was disgusting-saltwater!

Baron Corbin loomed over her, his dark face laughing as she gagged on the drink. "Your bitter, salty tears," he commented, but then kindly placed a Bud Light in front of her. "In good humor, of course," he ignored the other two men completely while he turned to face her. On her coaster, he scribbled down a series of numbers in Sharpie...a phone number.

"In case you ever want to try your luck with me again," he left the invitation hang in the air before heading once more to the back, another drunken challenger ready to step up to him at the pool table.


	12. Awkward

**And, now we go forward. What will happen once Sami and Chara FINALLY bump into each other? Or will they manage to avoid one another forever? Mwahahaha. In other news, to my new followers-I see you! Thank you to everyone who's taken time to read through this, it means a lot! Another shout out to Armbar Nation for lighting a fire under my ass and telling me to sit down and write.  
**

 **P.S. OUR GUY BRAY DID IT!**

 **P.P.S. I usually write about Total Divas in a negative light. However, I want to make it very clear that I LOVE IT. So, don't attack me over this.**

* * *

 _September 26, 2016: Complete Fitness Center; Cincinnati, Ohio  
_

"All I'm saying, Chara," Bray spoke through a massive gulp from his black water bottle, "is that I think it'd be best to watch yourself around Corbin. He's bad news, you know. Runs with a tough crowd-you saw 'em."

The two were in the midst of a training session together, currently sitting on the floor mats. Medicine balls lulled between the two of them, and Chara's obliques were on fire. The break was a welcomed one, but as soon as she began to smile at her phone like a lovestruck teenager, Bray caught on to the emotion and began to question her. And while Chara knew he was trying to be helpful and keep her out of trouble, she was still annoyed by his hovering behavior.

In truth, since her little run-in with Baron Corbin at the musty bar they'd gone to a week ago, she'd been texting him every single day. Right now, there wasn't anything much going on between the two of them but some flirty exchanges and a few Snapchat stories. She'd discovered that he was actually in the WWE as well, something that she was embarrassed to say she hadn't realized while they were together at the bar. In fact, she hadn't thought of it at all even when Bray recognized him.

At first, she sort of felt she lived under a rock. But then, after a few talks with the handsome giant, she'd come to find out he hadn't been performing because he was coming off from a wellness violation, to which he admitted to as though it was the most normal thing in the world. The company had to write him out of a storyline for the past month because of it, and as such, he was struggling to gain momentum once again.

Also, the fact that she hadn't followed WWE programming at all prior to her contract played factor into her oversight. Chara had kept herself away from that, and essentially away from AJ and Sami.

Meanwhile, the more she spoke to Baron, the more Chara's warning signals were going off; her brain waving red flags... yet she found herself ignoring the bells and whistles. Aligning yourself with someone who slipped over company policies, she knew, was probably a bad move for someone as new as she was. Baron Corbin, like herself, was rough around the edges, and she found an odd comfort in that.

It wasn't like she had much option as far as friendships went right now, anyways, as she still was consistently hidden from the world during shows and such. And although she'd sent Mickie a direct message on Twitter, the older woman hadn't responded yet. In any case, it was nice to speak to someone who wasn't Bray or Rowan.

"I know it's not always the most fun spending all of your free time with Erick and me," Bray continued on, as though he'd read her mind. Perhaps he had; he was eerie that way.

"It's not that," she twisted her mouth in thought, closing out of the goofy selfie Baron had just sent to her. "I like you guys. You keep me out of trouble," she gave a small smile, hoping it was convincing enough.

"Yes, but you're young and you've got a great opportunity. You feel like a caged bird. I understand that feeling, of wishing you could just soar and enjoy the view. It won't be like this forever, of course. You'll have the chance to explore from the sky, but first, you've got to trust that I'll be able to teach you to fly," Bray stood up abruptly, indicating that their rest period was over. Chara quirked an eyebrow at him, trying to decode what he'd just said to her. Bray often spoke in circles, just as he did during his promos.

"Grab your medicine ball and position it between your feet. Let's get going on some more conditioning training, shall we?" Bray nodded towards the two spheres, heading right back into the strenuous workout.

* * *

 _September 27, 2016: Cleveland, Ohio; Smackdown Live_

 _ **CharacoalFIGHTS: Be a LEADER, never a FOLLOWER. #SDLive #BrayVSAJ  
**_

There, she'd posted something on social media. She managed to stay ominous, and having less than a thousand followers would be certain to keep her identity masked until it was time, her dumb Tweet being shuffled in the mess as quickly as it she'd typed it. Though at the moment, the timetable for her _actually_ debuting wasn't completely clear as the fans were consistently tuning in to Bray and AJ's matches. The excellent sportsmanship between the two men was captivating, and the charisma and chemistry emitting was clear. Throw in some creepy video of a woman seemingly hunting-following-Bray, and people had caught on to the storyline; hook, line, and sinker.

Chara had to remind herself that, as much as she wanted to get in the ring and get to work, the WWE was still a business, and until the internet smarks began to complain, they would ride out the storyline so long as it was making money _without_ an actual Sister Abigail. The ratings for the two opponents' segments over the weeks had continued to go up, and the WWE officials were definitely happy with the draws of attention they were pulling. It also would keep things fresh that way for when she was an actual physical being, not just an idea. She supposed it also kept her training schedule in tact, so that she would appear to be as strong as she actually was.

But nights like tonight, she wanted nothing more than to be a part of the action. To be delivering a few moves of her own. Instead, she was kept hidden once again, watching the story unfold without her in it.

She had, however, filmed loads of vignettes. One of which would be airing tonight.

Hooray.

Her personal pity-party was interrupted shortly, however, when Natalya accidentally stumbled into the locker room where she'd been, her feet kicked back and her phone on her lap.

"Er...hi," Chara gave a small nod to the blonde, who looked confused, her eyes grazing the room quickly.

"Oh, shoot. I am so sorry...I must be the next one over," she apologized, an honest look of sorrow straining her face. "I'll just go-oh, wait a sec, aren't you the indie darling that's playing the Sister Abigail character?" Nat's eyes searched Chara's, as though she was trying to read deeply into her. Like perhaps she didn't really trust Chara being there at all.

"I-uh-" Chara managed to respond, not wanting to give away the high-profile storyline, but not wanting to come off as awkward as she was feeling. No, instead, she just came off like an idiot, speaking like a damned Frankenstein.

"It's okay, you know, people backstage talk and all," Natalya gave her a quick smile. "I've seen you a few times backstage, and well, there's plenty of speculation. I know Carrano is trying to keep things all hushed so the surprise isn't ruined. But anyways, I'm glad to meet you. Nattie," she introduced herself so quickly that Chara hadn't even realized she was shaking the blonde's hand.

"I'm Chara," she managed to say, a bit starstruck by the veteran. That, and she hadn't had many outside-Wyatt Family interactions since Mickie James had tried to steal her towel during a shower.

Natalya studied her for another moment before breaking into a full-on smile. "It's great to finally meet you, Chara," she enveloped the shorter woman in a hug, without warning, reiterating her previous statement. "Seriously. I think building up Bray's character will elevate him to unbelievable levels. And of course, it doesn't hurt that you're gorgeous and know what a wrestling ring looks like."

Somewhere in there, Chara knew that Nat was complimenting her. But she spoke too fast and excitedly, it was hard for her to pick apart her words.

"Omigod, Nikki is going to be so jealous that I met you before she has!" Natalya exclaimed.

 _Nikki...like, Nikki Bella?_ Chara found herself wondering. But of course it probably was; who else would care? But on a side note, why would Nikki Bella care to see or meet little 'ol Chara Wright? And on another side note, wasn't Nikki's sister married to douchebag Daniel Bryan?

"Well, hopefully soon I can meet her. I hang out in the back a lot by myself," Chara heard herself say, splaying her hands around her to point out the fact that, aside from the two women, the room was quite vacated.

"You can meet her! Do you have your phone? If your keepers allow, you should swing by the restaurant we're gonna hit after the show. 'Course, there might be Total Divas cameras around, but they can cut you from the scene," she still spoke a million miles a minute as she programmed her number into Chara's phone. Handing it back, she told Chara to send her a text about half-hour after the show closed, and she'd send some details her way.

"It was really, really nice to meet you," the bubbly blonde said once again before letting herself out of the locker room. She seemed excited.

 _Perhaps too excited. Like maybe she's up to something._

* * *

 _Following Smackdown Live:_

"You haven't decided on going, now, have you?"

That was Bray's reaction when, after the show, she'd mentioned that Natalya had stumbled into her hideout and invited her along to meet some of the ladies. His expression was unreadable, but the way he spoke made her think that he didn't find this something she ought to be doing.

"I mean, I kind of want to go," Chara answered honestly. She felt like she was a teenager, asking her father permission to drive the car.

 _Come on, that's ridiculous!_

Bray's eyes flicked towards Erick, who said nothing. Bray nodded once, as though he actually _had_ said something.

"The cameras, for that show. Will they be there?" Bray asked, scrutinizing her.

"Natalya said maybe, but that they could cut me out of the scenes."

Bray nodded curtly. "That show could ruin what you have become, Chara. As it has ruined many. If the cameras are present, you do not sign any disclaimers or anything like that. The last thing the Wyatt Family needs is another young lady losing out on an opportunity to continually shift focus away from what it used to mean to be a diva."

For a moment, Chara was going to ask what he meant by that. But slowly, the conversation came back to her...Ah, yes. Originally, it was thought that Paige would eventually play the Abigail character. But between bad writing, even worse relationship choices, a devastating injury, and the Total Divas television show...Bray thought she'd managed to ruin the public image she needed to maintain. So, nothing ever fruited from those seeds.

Chara threw her arms around Bray, hugging him. "I won't do anything dumb, I promise. But thank you so much, for everything," she meant that sincerely, though she was kind of bitter-it actually felt like she had been begging him to cut her loose for the night, even though she hadn't said much.

"Of course. But tomorrow morning, 7 AM, we have strength training back at the hotel exercise room. And that's mandatory that the three of us go."

Okay, so Chara couldn't totally let loose and stay out all night, no matter what. Even with that damning morning hour of training in the near future, she was more than thrilled to finally get to know...well, _anyone._ Sending a fast text message to Natalya, letting her know that she'd be more than happy to come to dinner, she happily slid into the back seat of the car that the three had come in.

* * *

Bray had reminded her a million times to call him if anything came up, to text him if she felt uncomfortable, or if she was just flat-out ready to leave the women. Chara knew she should feel flattered, perhaps, that he'd taken on the role of a father, but all it did was annoy her more and more. She knew that everything he was doing to guide her was in her best interest, to ensure she didn't make any stupid-ass choices, yet the feeling was still overwhelming.

She couldn't be mad, though, and she knew it. Because if she got terribly sidetracked, she'd ruin not only her own career, but take down Bray's, Erick's, and the Luke person that she hadn't yet met.

She just had to remind herself that every safety concern Bray had was because it pertained to the group in its entirety. And the only loose cannon, the only possibility of the whole charade becoming a locker room laughingstock, was if she fucked it up.

Bray had bid her goodnight before walking down the narrow hallway of the hotel they'd be staying at. It was actually one of the nicer ones that fit into their price range so far, although she hadn't yet looked into her room. Sliding the hotel keycard into the slot, the arrow turned green as she swung her door open. Inside, a decent-enough queen bed sat in the center, with pale gray walls with giant pictures of black and white waterfalls hanging over the bed. The television sat on top of the heavy dresser, and she marveled at the object for a moment, realizing that it was nicer than the one she owned at home.

Throwing her suitcase and bags on to the bed, she began a mad hunt trying to search for her makeup bag. She hardly had worn any the past few days-it was useless. But meeting women, who judged often, was a different story.

Deep in thought, her phone jingled, and Natalya had responded.

 _ **Perfect! What hotel are you in? I can send a ride 4 you if you need.**_

Actually, that wasn't half-bad of an idea. So, Chara responded quickly. Natalya had told her that she'd send someone for her, and that they would be meeting a few other people there. Her stomach churning, Chara agreed, even though she was beginning to think that she shouldn't tag along for this. Her elevated mood had gone flat in just a few mere moments, and now her nerves were beginning to get the best of her.

Opting for her dark, denim skinny jeans and a pair of black flats, she got hung up on the shirt. She hadn't brought along much for dress-up, and she supposed she didn't really know what type of dinner this was. Finally, she selected a simple black sweater with lace detail, and piled her messy hair on top of her head to create a messy but kinda cute bun. With a slick sheen of pink lipgloss, she deemed herself worthy enough of being seen.

 ** _Sending your ride! Whats your room number? See you soon!_**

Chara text Natalya back once more, excitedly confirming her room number. She waited anxiously on her bed, trying to focus on a program she sometimes watched called _Ridiculousness_. Instead, she found herself pondering possible scenarios for the evening. What if nobody spoke to her? What if someone asked about her past? What if they already knew about her past?

As she turned that final thought over in her brain, a sharp knock awakened her. She sat upright, silly butterflies flapping in her tummy. She'd performed in front of people for years, and yet here she was, fretting over a social situation. She swung the door open to reveal a gruff looking man with swishy, lop-sided brown hair, a little bit of stubble, and amber-colored eyes. He looked familiar...

"Oh, hey," he said casually, as though he'd shown up at her door a billion times. He gave a smile, showing off his chipped front tooth. "I'm Dean. I'll be your chauffeur," he gave a grand bow, which made her giggle, instantly putting her at ease.

"How'd you get roped into that one?"

"I get roped into a lot of things I don't want to do," he stated obviously. "Not that I mind coming to get you," he said quickly, noticing that her face had fallen a bit once he admitted that. "But yeah, to be honest, the girls are all giggly and weird. It was nice getting out of there for a few minutes. You sure you're ready to meet 'em?"

Chara grabbed her messenger bag from her bed, slinging it over her shoulder before nodding once. "I guess," she said, trying to feign confidence. She followed him outside, trying to keep up with his long, lanky legs.

"You'll be fine. It's like you're the interesting new kid in the class," Dean reassured her as he walked around the car he'd had idling (illegally) outside.

She chewed her lip, opting not to tell him he'd been parked in front of a fire hydrant. She didn't want to come off as a total snob. She slipped into the front seat, making sure to buckle herself up.

She listened intently as Dean Ambrose spoke about his time wrestling in Combat Zone, about some of the crazy things he'd been allowed to do there. She nodded at the appropriate times, responding when she thought necessary. She wondered if he actually wanted to speak about any of these things, or he just felt obligated to fill the silence that would be certain between the two of them if he hadn't. Either way, he had launched into a pretty solid story about a guy she had met only a few times, Jimmy Jacobs. By the time they rolled up to the restaurant, he had her almost in tears from laughter.

Pulling it together, Dean led her towards the back entrance-"To shake off the crazies, because trust me, they exist." As soon as they entered the dimly lit back room that had been closed off to them, the pretty blonde interviewer she'd seen rushed up to Dean, pressing her lips on his cheek...Ronnie? No, that wasn't right.

"Thank you so much for running and grabbing our new friend," she smiled brightly, offering her hand to Chara. "I'm Renee. Hopefully, Dean was kind to you during your car ride. Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting to know you! Welcome, welcome!"

"I'm Chara," she replied, "Dean was great, thank you so much for coming to get me," she smiled at the man, who found an empty spot at the elongated banquet table. "He definitely has some crazy stories."

"Nat should be here any minute," Renee's eyes were still bright, focused on Chara. "Come and sit, we'll gab a little bit before the others get here. The ones that are always late!"

"But worth the wait," Dean finished, with a goofy wink.

Chara sat down next to Renee, who shot a hundred questions at her in under five minutes. Or so it seemed. No, she wasn't dating anyone. No, she hadn't planned on returning to wrestling. Yes, she enjoyed working with Bray, although he was sometimes too intense. Yes, she was playing the Sister Abigail character, but that wasn't common knowledge yet.

"Okay, one more question. Why'd you get let go from TNA?"

Chara drew in a breath, combing her brain for a reasonable enough explanation. Finally, she settled. "Backstage politics."

Renee nodded her head, clearly not buying that answer. When she didn't push the issue further, though, Chara was both shocked and relieved.

"Did she pass the Renee Young grill-out session?" Dean teased, stretching his arm around Renee's chair.

"I think so," Renee smiled back. In that moment, Natalya and Nikki Bella stumbled through, and a camera-probably the very same that Bray had warned about-trailed behind them.

"Sorry we're late!" Nat stated loudly. "Looks like we beat Eva Marie, Nic," she commented, surveying the table. Nikki breathed a sigh of relief, her shiny patent heels clicking against the tiled floor as she rounded the table to sit straight across from Chara, Dean, and Renee. She draped her expensive jacket around the chair, sliding into it before pouring herself the sparkling water that sat in a glass carafe in the center.

"We beat Bryan, too," Nikki replied between drinks. "I hope you don't mind that I invited him. He's been kind of in a mood, being away from Brie and all. Besides, Dean could use the manly company."

"I dunno, Nic, my door doesn't usually swing that way. For D-Bry, I might make an exception," he wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, which resulted in a quick smack to the chest from Renee.

 _Awesome. Just my luck that Daniel Bryan would play tag-along for this event,_ Chara thought. Knowing her luck, he'd wind up telling the whole fucking Total Divas cast about her run in TNA. After all, he'd made it perfectly clear that he didn't like her much, and didn't particularly want her on his roster. Why not humiliate her, and force her to run back into retirement?

Natalya sat next to the dark-haired woman, a huge smile on her face. "I don't mind at all. The more, the merrier!" the blonde poured herself a glass of water, too, then started skimming through the drink menu that was standing tall near her. When she seemed to find what she was looking for, she passed it over to Nikki, the Hart heiress's eyes suddenly connecting with Chara's.

"So I know Renee and Dean have obviously already met Chara. And I practically waltzed into her dressing room tonight. Nicole, this is the legendary lady from TNA, Chara," Natalya rambled at the same quick pace she had earlier in the evening.

Nikki Bella was nothing short of gorgeous. From her flawless makeup to her dark, curled hair, it was no wonder a mega-star like John Cena was head over heels for this woman. She didn't say anything, but her deep eyes scanned Chara's face. In a few seconds, her red lips turned upward into a grin.

"Renee's already put her on the barbecue, so if you have any questions, Renee already knows the answers. No sense in scaring the newbie away," Dean piped up, who now had a tall, orange-colored beer in front of him.

"I'm glad I got to meet you," Nikki ignored Dean. "The way the backstage people have been hiding you from, like, the entire world, has made me wonder if you actually exist."

"Here I am," Chara replied, offering a generous smile of her own. A waitress came by with a pad of paper, and Nikki and Natalya both muttered their choices of wine to her. Chara opted for a lemon martini, because in her humble opinion, wine tasted like feet.

Once more, the door opened to reveal a gorgeous woman with brilliant red hair. Natalya got up to her feet, offering a hug to the girl that Chara had guessed was Eva Marie. Chara caught Nikki's eye in the exchange between the two, and Nikki rolled her eyes.

"Hi, Nicole. How's Brie handling?" Eva bent down to give Nikki an awkward hug before plopping her jeweled clutch on the table, sliding into the seat on the other side of Nat.

"She's doing good. You know, the morning sickness is pretty much over now. She really wishes that she could spend more time with her charming husband, though," Nikki answered, not really looking towards Eva. She appeared to be simply going through the motions of conversing with her, like she was doing it for the sheer fact that there were cameras watching the interaction.

"I'm so glad to hear," Eva replied, tossing her long red locks over her shoulder, though she didn't look like she gave a care in the world. "I'm glad I was in the area. I've missed you all so much!"

"So glad you could make it," Natalya told her. "Hopefully we'll see more of you soon, then?"

"Maybe. I've been super busy filming movies and launching my new fashion line. Not to mention the calls for modeling! Hopefully, my agent can stack a good deal in my favor to be in the new Calvin Klein ad."

"That'd be _amazing_ ," Nikki breathed. If she was jealous, she did well hiding it.

"Oh, hey, is Paige coming?" Eva asked, and Renee's gaze flicked over to Natalya, a sorrowful look in her eyes. Paige's absence from the company had hit the divas division-no, the _women's_ division, Chara mentally corrected herself-quite hard. Between the bits of information Bray had told her and what she already knew, the raven-haired beauty had been spiraling out of control, her young age and immaturity playing a huge part in some of her decisions.

Renee looked as though she could cry, and Chara watched in admiration as Dean grabbed her hand that lay on the table and entwined his fingers into hers.

"No, I'm afraid not," Nat replied, taking a sip from her burgundy wine that had been set in front of her. "Paige has been...well, you know."

"Out of her mind?" Eva asked, not afraid to say the obvious. "I saw the video of her proposing to Grandpa Del Rio. I'm sorry, but the only thing that makes someone act that irrationally? Drugs."

The camera closed in on Eva, and Chara felt a pang of anger. She wasn't sure if she was mad that the cameraman had made a point to capture that segment, or if she was mad that Eva had no shame in bringing up her suspicions. It also didn't seem too far-fetched that Eva had been _told_ to drop the line in front of the cameras. Such was reality television, and she seemed the type that would do anything if it gave her some heat.

"I don't know about that," Renee said quickly. "Last time I talked to her, she seemed good. Happy."

Dean motioned the waitress for a refill on his beer. Chara looked over the empty chair that sat between him, shooting him a look of amazement. She couldn't help but to be impressed with how quickly he'd downed that last drink. He noticed her glance, gave her a quick wink, and polished the little bit of liquid that rested on the bottom of the glass before pushing it further away from him. Renee followed suit, taking a long drink to keep from speaking, now halfway through a beer of her own. Chara noticed that the only person gossiping here was this Eva Marie person, and nobody was really taking the bait.

The chatter died down, and the door opened once more, this time revealing Daniel Bryan in the doorway. He looked disheveled, his shirt partially untucked and one of his brown shoes was untied. Well, that, and he needed to trim the damned beard again. He stood awkwardly against the door frame, allowing for the Total Divas cameras to close in on his face. Once they'd got a shot of him, the team made a motion and began packing up their equipment. They must've gotten the bits that they'd needed from that night. One of them slipped a paper in front of Chara, and it read **Disclaimer** brightly on the top. She shook her head no, handing it back. The man looked annoyed, but shrugged and shoved it into a file folder.

"Sorry I'm super late," he finally said, ignoring the background noises as the camera crew loudly began hauling their tripods from the room. He looked apologetically at Natalya and Nikki, his mouth twisting. He glanced around the room, his eyes landing on Chara next. He closed his eyes and took a breath, and for a split second, she thought he was going to tell her to leave. Instead, it appeared as though he looked sorry for her.

"I hope you lovely ladies don't mind," he spoke after a drawn out silence. "I brought along a friend. He didn't have a ride to the next hotel, so I offered one, but forgot I was supposed to meet here...and he was all-for coming here-"

And that's when Chara's heart probably fell from her chest into her lap.

The adorable redhead stood behind the Smackdown General Manager, looking a bit scruffier than he had the last time she'd seen him. When AJ had broken his jaw.

She saw the panicked looks shoot her way from both Natalya and Nikki, and Chara felt like she could probably crawl under the table and die. Of course they knew the story behind her untimely departure from TNA.

Who didn't?

"Hey, guys," Sami chirped, giving them a quick wave. "I don't mean to be a party-crasher."

Dean and Renee welcomed him warmly, whereas Nikki and Nat were more timid. Chara and Eva Marie both said nothing, though their reasons were quite different.

"Come on over, Sammers," Dean proclaimed loudly. "Take a seat!" he began to motion to the chair that sat on the other side of him, which also was the chair that would put him right next to Chara. Natalya made a motion to Dean to signal him to shut the hell up, but he hadn't seen it at all. Daniel Bryan stood there, taking the straight fire that Nikki was radiating his way with her eyes.

"Don't mind if I do," Sami stepped inside, pulling his gray wool flat cap from his head.

 _No. No, no, no. Fuck no._

"Yeah, there's plenty of room," Renee continued. "We've met a lovely new friend, too. I've given her the third degree, and from what I can tell, Chara doesn't bite!"

And with that, Sami stopped mid-stride, his face looked ashen. "I'm sorry?" he said, his voice scratchy.

Chara peeked around the other side of Dean, her eyes locked on Sami. She felt every single emotion humanly possible in the flash of a second, and she gave a small sigh before she spoke, hoping it would both calm her nerves and keep her from vomiting all over the beautiful, intricate tablecloth.

"Hi, Sami. Good to see you, it's been awhile. Come on, there's an empty chair."


	13. Recruiting

**An update, so soon? Who woulda thought it? But anyways, thank you so much to those who have reviewed, read, followed, etc. Thank you to angelsdee for your review, I literally laughed out loud when you wrote about Eva Marie. She's easy to write about it a negative light. :)  
**

 **So will Sami end up whisking our girl away on a white horse? Or is that dead in the water? Where does the angry, brooding Baron Corbin come into play? And...what about the face that runs the place? Man, the world of professional wrestling sure gets messy...just ask Melina, eh?**

 **Apologies for a filler-is chapter here...it is what it is.**

* * *

Nobody spoke, but everyone turned to watch Sami Zayn slowly make his way behind Dean and Renee to the empty seat. Meanwhile, Daniel Bryan had grabbed a chair from another table, sticking it at the head between Nikki and Chara, positioning himself closer to his sister-in-law.

Chara strongly considered texting Bray in that moment, her flight mode beginning to kick in. The stifling air was enough to suffocate her, the panic and anxiety growing to a head.

She began to wonder if her original beliefs about Natalya perhaps acting too nicely towards her had been true; if the women had chosen to set her up because they were evil bitches, or if it had been a total misunderstanding. Either way, when Sami's familiar warmth fell next to her, she began to reach for her phone on the table, certain that she wouldn't be able to live through this.

"Sami, Chara, Chara, Sami," Renee did a quick introduction between the pair, who uncomfortably looked at each other and nodded. Renee must have been oblivious to everyone else in the room because they all watched the energy exchange between Chara and Sami like hawks. Except for Eva Marie, who was busy taking a quick selfie for an Instagram post.

"They've met," Daniel Bryan finally spoke, his voice wavering.

"Oh, wonderful!" Renee smiled again. "Wait until you meet his girlfriend, Mandy Rose. She's in NXT right now, but she's such a doll."

Chara watched as Dean lightly elbowed her, catching on to the tension quickly. Which, the spunky woman had just amplified times a billion with the bitter fact that Sami was currently dating someone.

Sami gave a lopsided smile, and Chara felt that her soul had actually been crushed.

She shouldn't have been surprised. Of fucking course Sami would begin to see someone else. He deserved to be happy, right? She hadn't expected him to stay single forever, given the pain she'd put him through. Yet, that realization didn't make her hurt any less.

"I'd love to," she gave him a smirk. She knew she was being catty towards him, but what did she care? He didn't deserve it, of course, but it made her feel a little bit better to channel the fury she was feeling in her core.

Nikki shot Daniel another look, who apologized without actually speaking. She rolled her eyes in response, picking up her wine glass once again.

"Where's John tonight?" Natalya asked her, trying to create a distraction.

"He had to hop on a plane to Orlando straight after the show," she answered. "He's going to a fundraiser. Naomi should be there, too," she added.

"Good for her. I'm glad that even while she's injured, she's keeping herself busy," Natalya responded. Chara didn't know Naomi at all, but could assume the women were currently talking about John Cena. She listened partly, but pretended to be completely enthralled with the lemon wedge on the corner of her glass. Anything to keep her eyes off from Sami.

Finally, the waitress came and broke the monotony of the conversation by taking their orders. Everyone had ordered quite lightly, so even though she was definitely craving a greasy pile of onion rings, she went and ordered grilled chicken and pilaf. How much of it, exactly, she'd be able to eat...well, that was yet to be seen.

"So, Chara, aside from your run in TNA, what other promotions have you been a part of?" Natalya asked. Chara, who had been mid-sip, almost spit the drink back into the stemware. She didn't have to look at the body next to her to know he'd tensed up at the question, too; the memories probably rushing back just as quickly as they had for her.

"Well, I started in Ring of Honor...which is where I met El Generico, over here," she jolted her head towards him, poking fun at the godawful name he'd used back when he was only starting out. "But then, yeah, I went on to train with some fantastic people in TNA after they let me go to cut costs and that at ROH...I did a little stint in Japan for awhile, but after that was through, I was ready to hang up my boots for good and focus on other things. I really wanted to launch a tennis shoe line, so maybe one day that'll still be an option for me," she spoke truthfully, but was careful not to reveal too much of her connection with Sami. Daniel was watching her intently, and he seemed to be comforted by her answer.

"So why did you get involved with WWE?" Nikki asked. This time, she felt all the eyes come her way, Eva Marie included.

"I'm not really sure how it happened. I had been ignoring calls from Hunter for a few months, but one day, he ended up outside of my house. I suspect that it had something to do with Bray, though."

"How so?"

"I'm guessing he saw some of my old work, liked how I worked in the ring, and wanted me specifically to be in his empire," she went back to her glass, idly playing with the sugar around the rim. "I had a lot of apprehension going into it and almost backed out a million times. But so far, I'm glad I took the chance. Even though I haven't gotten to meet many people because of all the obscurity I have to maintain, Bray has been an excellent coach."

Sami made a noise, and she shot him a look.

"He's a great guy," Dean spoke now, motioning the waitress for yet another beer.

"He'll make a great champ," Daniel conceded. "He's worked really hard for this."

"Isn't that what everyone works for?" Eva Marie wrinkled her nose. "Seriously, who comes into the WWE expecting to never hold gold? How lame would that be?"

Nobody said anything, because everyone was trying to hold back their grins and giggles. Would Eva Marie ever attain the belt that Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss were currently feuding over? That idea seemed preposterous.

The next time their waitress came by, she brought both Dean's third beer and a giant tray, which she set up promptly next to their table. In a few moments, she returned, holding a giant platter of everyone's food. One other woman, also dressed in the all-black uniform, straggled behind her with a second large tray.

Now that the food had been delivered, Chara was glad that everyone would be busy devouring their orders and therefore, too busy to ask any more questions. The women started delivering on the other side of the table, and Chara grabbed her phone from the place in front of her in order to make room for her own plate.

Out of habit, she opened her lock screen, seeing she had a new message from Baron Corbin. She quickly opened it, smirking at the text he'd sent her.

 _ **The only person who can pull off a cloak like that? Harry Potter! Just kidding, definitely you. TTYS?**_

She replied quickly, before she slid her phone into her bag.

She caught Sami's eyes wandering, and she had a feeling he'd seen the text.

 _Good,_ she thought to herself. _If he's seeing someone else and I have to hear about it, he should be well-aware that I've got interest elsewhere, too!_

"So it's true, then," Sami muttered towards her. "Styles had told me you were gonna be around. I didn't really...I thought for sure you wouldn't."

Chara raised an eyebrow his way. "Didn't know you and AJ were so _friendly_ ," she seethed.

"We're not, trust me. I was ready to switch to Monday Night RAW when I heard he was coming to Smackdown. And now that you're here, too, I'm pretty sure I want to do just that."

Chara lightly snorted. "Puh-lease, Generico, get real. Aside from this lovely evening out, I doubt we'll be seeing much of each other. Between your _doll_ of a new girlfriend and your mid-card status, the only place we might see each other is backstage."

Okay, now she was being awful. But she couldn't stop. The pain she felt for the last few years was kind of nice to transfer on to someone else.

Sami's face was turning red right down to his neck, but he didn't say anything. He was ready to burst, and she knew it. She'd struck a nerve. She knew him well, and he was going to sit there and bottle up the anger as he always had; too afraid to say anything more because he didn't like being explosive, and especially not in front of his coworkers.

"Have you always been such a bitch? Or is it your newfound romance with _bad-ass_ Corbin that's made you that way?" he muttered back, the loathing he had for the Lone Wolf quite obvious. "Maybe I ought to let him know to keep an eye on your trainer, Bray. You do seem to have a _thing_ for your coaches."

Now, it was Chara's turn to be mad. This was getting worse and worse the longer the dinner went. She bit her lip in anger and surprise, wanting to ream him a new asshole for all the pain she'd been through. All the missteps she'd taken, while Sami had the luxury of breezing straight through, not being stigmatized as she had.

"That's what I thought," Sami said between mouthfuls of his shrimp scampi.

"Maybe I ought to let _Mandy_ know about the thing you have for your career over your girlfriends," she finally jested. At this point, she didn't know or care much if the others heard their banter; it was years of pent up frustrations that were getting aired, even if it wasn't the healthy way of going about it. Since they'd never really had any closure to their relationship, it was no surprise that they were being more immature than high school kids.

The rest of the evening had gone just that way, little murmurs and taking shots at each other between mouthfuls of food. In a totally fucked-up way, Chara realized it was beginning to turn into a competition between the two over who could burn the other person worse. Normally, she wouldn't participate in that. But she'd been blacklisted, dammit, and while she was mostly to blame, none of that would have happened if Sami had cut her off and told her his career came first!

"So, Chara, how's AJ?" Sami asked while the clatter of the plates being taken from the table was loud enough for them to continue their dispute, without the wandering eyes and SONAR ears. "Oh, shoot, that's right-you wouldn't know. That was worth it, wasn't it?"

Finally, she was tired of the back-and-forth exchanges, especially now that Sami had gone far enough to include the third person in their scandal.

"Seriously?" she finally broke down, wishing she hadn't been the one to do so first. "It's taken me a long time to move forward from all of that. And seeing you here makes me think that all the work I've done on myself...on my own mind...was for nothing. We were much younger, Sami, and we've both changed so much. So unless you want to speak to me properly, I am pretty much over this petty shit."

"Took you long enough," he responded instantly. "You're still as hard-headed and stubborn as ever. Still can't admit when you're in the wrong, either."

Her jaw dropped momentarily, and she mindfully kept her thoughts to herself.

"It's been good to see you, regardless of the situation and the non-stop fighting," he said, picking up his check that had been left in front of him. In the blink of an eye, he'd swiped Chara's, too. "Consider this a welcoming gift," he said, before she could protest. He inserted a purple plastic card, handing them both over to the waitress and letting her know he'd take care of both bills.

"And an apology," he said finally. "Because I should've been honest with you."

Chara was at loss for words.

"One day, I'd like to re-visit," Sami continued. "Not today. But the way things ended between us has always been holding me back. And I don't think I can move on and be really be happy unless we hash it out. I deserve that much. Mandy deserves that much."

"Thank you," Chara finally said, stunned. She meant to thank him solely for grabbing her dinner bill, which she was sure was more expensive than what it would normally cost her to eat for an entire week. But in reality, she didn't know what to say at all; the fact that he wanted to speak to her again was mind-blowing, but the fact that he wanted to finally seek a real ending for his current girlfriend's sake was appalling.

"Of course. Two things, though, Chara-coal. First, tread carefully when it comes to Corbin. And second? For what it's worth, if I'd had to choose between you and my career all those years ago, I would've chosen you."

The waitress had picked the worst possible time to hand back the receipts, because now Chara wanted to talk to Sami badly. So, so badly. She had so much left to say to him. Sami, though, seemed to have other plans as he quickly grabbed the sleek black folder the woman had placed in front of him. He signed the slips inside, took his card back, and promptly stood back up to meet Daniel once again.

And Chara still sat, rooted to her chair.

* * *

"What did you think of her?"

Natalya and Nikki stood outside of the restaurant, waiting for Daniel to pull the car around. Natalya had been the one who posed the question, eager to rehash the evening with her friend.

"She seems really sweet. But very, very timid," Nikki responded. "I can't believe Daniel had the balls to bring Sami along, though. She probably thinks we were trying to embarrass her. So freaking awkward."

Natalya agreed. "I noticed she wouldn't sign anything for the Total Divas producer. Kinda disappointed, to be honest."

Nikki gave a small sigh. "I know it. With our ratings slipping, and less of me and Brie...I was seriously hoping we'd be able to get her interested in the idea, at the very least. If they have a solid story for next season, we'll get another amazing contract."

"That would be gold. Mandy's already appeared on the show, and having Chara play the brooding ex-girlfriend that she so clearly is...that'd bait people into watching, for sure. It's a built-in story."

"Do you think we've got any chance of her changing her mind?" Nikki wondered out loud.

Natalya shrugged. "I don't know. Bringing Sami tonight was definitely a mistake on Danny boy's part. We didn't get to really see the kind of performer and personality she really is. Although, the whole time I studied their body language towards each other. She's still in love with him, and he's still hurting."

Nikki gave a small laugh. "That's great, but that doesn't exactly help when we need to recruit a new woman for Total Divas."

"Yeah, you're right. Maybe if we start small. I know we probably scared her a little, you know? Threw her straight into a giant group of people and cameras. If we try again with just us three instead, that might be easier for her to cope."

Nikki quirked her eyebrow and was prepared to speak, but felt someone's presence. Turning, Sami Zayn was heading towards them, an unreadable expression on his face.

 _Oh, shit. She'd forgotten that Daniel had given this shrimp a ride. Just her luck!_

At the same second, before she had to apologize to Sami on behalf of her dumbass brother-in-law, their car pulled up. Daniel's tinted window cracked just a hint. She rounded the car to get in the front, and Nat opened the back door of the vehicle. Sami followed Natalya, still not speaking a word.

Nobody spoke as the car glided slowly down the empty street, only stopping for the flashing red warning lights. Nobody knew what to say.

"So, Sami, I owe you an apology," Daniel Bryan spoke finally, the tension too thick to ignore. "I really didn't expect to see Chara here tonight."

"If you would read your texts, you would've known," Nikki replied under her breath. "We were on a mission to recruit her, and I think it's pretty safe to say she's gonna be running in the other direction."

Daniel clicked his tongue. "I don't think Bray would let Chara sign on to the show, ladies. That would ruin her character, you know? But anyways. Sami, truly, I'm sorry for tonight."

Sami was watching out his window, a distant look in his eyes. "It's really no big deal. I knew I'd have to face her again someday, even though I didn't know if I'd ever be ready to. Man, she fucking ruined me. It just sucks to be reminded of all that."

Nat put a hand sympathetically on Sami's shoulder. "What happened?" she asked. She knew already, and so did everyone else in the car. But the gesture was still genuinely nice, and she hoped he would relax a little.

Sami shrugged. "Different promotions. She fell in love with someone else on hers, and I was chasing another dream on mine. It ended really, really badly."

"Have you ever told Mandy about your relationship with Chara?" Daniel spoke now, his eyes flashing to connect with the smaller man's in the rearview mirror.

"Nah. She wouldn't understand. That, and we just aren't that serious yet. I mean, if ever we were to be in a more committed relationship, I'd tell her the details. But until then, I don't need her worrying about some girl with an ice-cold heart while she's busy locking up with Sara Amato."

"Well, that's very noble of you," Natalya smiled at him.

"Yeah, except that Chara isn't just some girl with an ice-cold whatever. Chara is _the_ girl with the ice-cold whatever," Daniel pointed out. "It would do you some good to let bygones be bygones, but at least tie up the loose strings. So far, she hasn't caused any trouble on the roster at all. That was my biggest fear when Shane mentioned she was being brought in. The drama that she manages to carry around with her would scare off any general manager. But so far, she's been fairly professional through it all."

Sami seemed to think through what was being said.

"To be fair, she's doing a fantastic job working opposite of AJ, despite the messy history there," Nikki spoke up. Daniel shot her a look.

"What?" she held her hands out, confused. "I'm not stupid. Something obviously happened there, because AJ was throwing a tamper-tantrum over her involvement in the Wyatt family."

"You mean temper," Sami said quietly, correcting her.

"No, like, he threw a fit. Like a tamper-tantrum," she reiterated. Natalya bit her lip to keep from giggling at Nikki's silliness.

"I don't know what AJ would be mad about. He went back to normal, every day life after Chara was fired. Picked up right where he left off after we broke up, while I had to sit around with a broken jaw and an even more broken heart. AJ Styles still attained huge success, that to be honest, I could only dream of. He's got no reason to be pissed," Sami admitted out loud. "However, I feel like I have every right to be. Why did it have to be Chara, of all people? Why didn't any of the management have the courtesy to let me know about this?"

Daniel shrugged. "I only know as much as you do," he replied, though it wasn't convincing.

"Yeah, I guess," Sami stated lightly, allowing the subject to fizzle.

He idly played with his phone as Daniel spoke about his wife's latest prenatal appointment, wondering if Chara still had the same number she had way back when. Wondering if she'd even want to speak to him again.

* * *

Safe.

That was the overwhelming feeling Chara got when she slid under the covers of her hotel bed, happy that it was just as cozy as she needed it to be.

To say that she was overwhelmed at the moment was an understatement, and she looked forward to her workout in the early morning to refocus on what was important. To punish her body and clear her mind of all the crap that was going on in it. Her phone vibrated, causing her heart to leap.

She really should've picked up some sleep-aid pills to help her calm the fuck down.

 _ **You still up?**_

It was Baron, and she smiled as she pulled her head under the giant comforter, the only light she had coming from her screen.

 _ **Barely, but I can be. What's up?**_

The next response came quickly from him:

 _ **Da**_ _ **mn.**_ _ **Needed a pool partner for tonight. Next time.**_

Feeling a little flirty, Chara decided to cast a line:

 _ **Seems like an excuse to see me, Lone Wolf.**_

It took awhile for him to respond this time around:

 _ **I don't need an excuse to see your beautiful face.**_

Chara got warm fuzzies, quietly yet excitedly squealing as she tucked her phone under her pillow. She was ready to sleep off the weariness of the day, to forget all about that stupid dinner and get back to reality.

Just as she was drifting off to sleep, her phone buzzed once more. Sleepily, she opened up the lock screen, expecting another text from Baron. Instead, it was from an unknown number...

 ** _Some days, I really wish things were different. Nights like tonight, I really miss you._**


	14. Phenomenal

**Welcome, friends!**

 **If you follow Whispers in the Dark, I explain my hiatus there. In a nutshell, life has been shit. Long story short, my grandma was diagnosed with cancer at the end of February and to say I was having a hard time coping would be an understatement. But, writing has done well at keeping my mind busy...and that's exactly what I need.**

 **If I didn't know any better, I'd say there are WWE officials watching my story. I kind of sort of a little bit expect a Sister Abigail debut soon. Kind of hoping for it. The storyline between Bray and Orton is actually pretty impressive. 'Course, everyone knew that RKO would change his tune eventually, so that wasn't much a shocker. But when you write things properly, it's all good!  
**

 **So yes, I chose Mandy Rose as Sami's girlfriend. Yes, I did it with a reason, which you'll eventually see. ;)**

* * *

 _September 28, 2016: Cleveland, Ohio_

"Well, you look like you haven't slept a wink," Bray Wyatt noted as Chara met him in the lobby. She hadn't bothered to brush her hair, so she'd thrown it up in a very-slept-in ponytail. Her _Friday the 13th_ tank top that she'd grabbed this morning was wrinkly and still a little smelly from the last time she'd had a workout with the Wyatt Family mastermind, having forgotten to wash it.

She hadn't bothered to wash off last night's makeup, either, so she was sure she had sexy blackened raccoon eyes.

So, admittedly, she looked like shit. And it wasn't as though she'd been drunk the previous night, although she was beginning to wish that she were. Had she been obliterated, she would've been able to boldly flirt with Baron Corbin more than she had, even if it had only been through text. She would've been able to text the unknown number back, to confirm the identity of the sender...even though she had a good idea of who it was.

"I had a pancake pillow," she replied to Bray. "And a lumpy mattress," she added, hoping it was convincing enough. "Honestly, I'd rather have spent the night on the floor than try to get comfortable on that piece of shit."

In reality, she kept opening and re-opening that text message, wondering if she could ever be on good terms again with Sami. Even though they'd argued like kids during most the meal last night, he'd really impressed her. It seemed that he'd changed a ton in the years past, having moved upward and onward. While she had never expected to see him again, there he was...

"Language, language, m'lady," Bray tittered, though he didn't look put off by her foul language one bit. "How was the evening with our fellow comrades?"

Chara smiled. "I promise you, I really did have a rough night. I was back at a reasonable time and all that. I had a lemon martini. Umm...Nikki Bella is beautiful, Eva Marie is a self-absorbed imbecile, and Renee Young is lovely but doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut."

Bray smirked in response, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "I heard you had a surprise visitor, as well?"

 _Oh, crap. How had he found that one out?_

"That we did," she offered, thinking quickly on her feet. "And just like you thought, the cameras were there for part of our dinner. I didn't sign the disclosure, so I won't be used for television," she added quickly, Bray's gaze not faltering at all.

"I knew you were a smart woman," he smiled. "I didn't mean the cameras, of course. Although it does sound oddly like a recruitment attempt to get you to sign on for the next season. But that point is moot; as I learned that Daniel Bryan was included to this lovely dining experience. Knowing that the last time you were at a table with him wasn't your finest moment. How did things pan out?"

It took a moment for Chara to follow the maze he was speaking in, doing her best to make sense of his words. This was still taking some getting used to. When she'd realized he thought that the cast of _Total Divas_ had all been present and _only_ the cast, her spirits perked up a bit. He wouldn't be frustrated with her back and forth banter with an ex-boyfriend, which he'd deem childish. Chara simply did not want to disappoint the bearded swamp man.

So, she would have to watch her footing in the future. One slip-up, and she could lose everything.

"Well, I think it went fine. Daniel didn't say much to me, anyways. Probably didn't want to start a whole thing in front of the girls."

There was an extended moment of quietness before Bray gave her a silent nod, breezing through the exit with only a hint of a smile. Sometimes, he was hard to read. Chara thought she'd given him proper enough of an answer, but normally, he'd be more affirmative. Right now, the silence worried her a little. Then, something she'd been asked last night had popped into her head, and she found herself so curious that she had to know.

"Hey, Brother Bray," she asked sweetly, and he turned to her with a sharp smile.

"I like that," he wagged a finger towards her. "You should use that in the ring. When we get that far, of course."

"Okay," she laughed merrily, glad his chipper mood had returned. "I was just wondering, before we got to work...if I could ask you something?"

"I suppose so," he conceded.

She looked around, unsure how to go about the thoughts weighing heavily on her mind. She peered towards the fitness room, making sure that none of their peers were around. Most of them had moved on to the next town or city already, some were still fast asleep. She was glad to see that there wasn't anyone around, so she drew a long breath before finally allowing her mind to clear enough to speak:

"Why am I here? Why did Hunter track me down at my home to ask me to sign with the WWE? I mean, I was ready to hang up my boots for good, too ashamed to face this industry again. There are tons of other women who could've taken on the role. So...why me?"

Bray's mouth formed a thin, pressed line. His normally shining eyes clouded over, and Chara was afraid that she'd struck a nerve.

"What makes you think that I'd know that?" he asked finally. "As much creative control as I'm allowed, I don't think I've got the influence to bring someone into the company. Whatever you did in your prior promotion got you noticed, Chara. In a good way."

"But for so long, I couldn't find work. Everyone had already proved their loyalty to AJ, and I wasn't important. Just _some girl_ that was sleeping with AJ Styles. I caused such a mess that I wasn't worth contracting anymore."

Bray clapped his hands together, startling her. "Some days, dear, you are the mess. Other days, you are the broom. And on the worst days, you are both."

Taking in this peculiar advice, she raised her eyebrows, ready to continue the conversation. Bray, it appeared, had other plans as he began basic stretches as a warm-up.

"I believe you've gotten here on our own merits," Bray finally spoke after she joined him.

"I don't know, I don't think that'd be enough to make it this far," Chara said slowly.

"Perhaps you are everything that the WWE needs right now," he countered. He said it with such finalization that she didn't question or push the issue any further; the conversation was over. Though Chara believed without a doubt in her flitting mind that there was more reasoning behind the sudden interest shown by the company, it would have to be a conversation for a later day.

Deciding to focus instead on the task at hand, which was the unfortunate grueling workout she'd endure, she let it go.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in Lakewood, Ohio_

"I'm just saying, if we want to get signed to another season, we need some more women interested in sharing their lives," Nikki Bella was complaining on the phone to the love of her life, John Cena, who was busy with another appearance for _USA Today._ It had been awhile since the two last spoke, and she was missing him with all her heart. She'd told him of her attempt of bringing Chara Wright into the group last night, and how it had been an epic fail...with no help from her brother-in-law. Things were cutting it too close to deadline for her liking; The E! Network hadn't yet bitten on the contract for another season, and for all the exposure and money the women could have because of another pick-up, it was important to keep things entertaining.

But with the darling Paige doing _whatever_ it was Paige was doing, and with Naomi's lackluster personality...well, the spokeswoman for the company was very clear that there needed to be more drama than there had been. Which, Nikki had concluded, would be a fantastic opening to bring in that newbie. Nat had been all in on this idea, too; and now, she was trying to talk John into calming Bray Wyatt's nerves regarding his new little family member.

John took a deep, stretched breath through the receiver. "I understand why this is important to you, Nicole. But to be fair, I don't think Chara wants to put her life out there. The stigma put on her from all those years ago is probably still embarrassing for her. While you and I don't mind the cameras, there are people who have their guards set quite high because of their pasts..."

Nikki made a grumbling sound, knowing exactly where this was heading. "You're taking that stance again? You did the exact same thing when AJ Lee decided to decline the show! And then, her lovely pipebomb totally humiliated all of us. Chara's got a similar personality to that little goblin. I can just imagine the promo she'd give, especially since Bray is her trainer." Nikki had a hard time hiding the ounce of jealousy she still had over AJ Lee. Not only had the little twerp been good friends with John, she was essentially the reason that Dolph Ziggler and the Fearless Bella twin had broken up at all. So, the fact that John would even try and bring _that_ bitch into the conversation at all was slightly irritating.

John gave a small laugh. "I think you're thinking too far into this, babe. Even if this new girl doesn't want to sign on to the show, so what? If there's not enough interest there, I'm sure you will find something else to occupy your time with. Remember when you'd mentioned getting into the wine business? Well, there you go. You're a smart woman, and you'll move on to something else if it's necessary."

Nikki sighed. "Yeah, I guess," she muttered. John was right, even though it was annoying. Still, she hoped that the pretty blonde with next to zero sense of fashion would change her tune. The amount of intrigue the women's division would receive because of her role in the company would be huge, not to mention the real-life backstory.

"Don't worry about it, Nic," John murmured to her on the phone. "Everything will work out. I promise you."

* * *

 _October 4, 2016: San Diego, California; Smackdown Live_

A solid week of working house shows, and it was finally, _finally,_ time.

 _Smackdown Live_ was going to be huge tonight for Chara, as she was finally going to be revealed. Well, more so, Sister Abigail would be revealed. Her cloak would be dropped, and if she had any fans out there, the speculation of her true identity would begin.

For the first time, Abby would be a real character. In turn, Chara would finally be allowed camera time.

The past few days had been tumultuous. She hadn't expected for the Abigail character to formally debut tonight, but it seemed as though the fan base had grown somewhat bored of the cloaked figure that would often shake things up for the Wyatt Family. The general consensus was that this whole Abigail character was a fraud, much like the continuing vignettes of "Emmalina" on Monday Night RAW. So, in a quick work to prove the internet wrong, the writers wrote up a decent script for the night. Of course, it had blindsided literally every superstar involved, the course of the evening taking such a complete and drastic turn.

It was nice to know she'd be used, not sitting in the vacated locker room, occupying herself with her own mind while lights flickered and weird promos played to capture the fan's attention. Though she'd been training with Bray for weeks for both her in-ring work and her character, she still couldn't help but feel nervous getting involved into an actual match. It was a small step; eventually, she'd be setting her sights on the women's division. For now, she would reunite with her dear Wyatt Family to help elevate them.

Unfortunately, she'd have to deliver a quick move to startle AJ Styles in order for Bray to pick up a win. This part was where the writers had changed their minds: For so long, AJ Styles believed that the cloaked figure who kept forcing Bray to lose was his ally; someone who had a bone to pick with the Wyatts. Their segment would close the show, and everyone would wonder why the change of heart. Until next week.

"Nervous, kiddo?" Erick Rowan spoke as she tried to tape her wrists. The show was set to begin in a half hour, and she still had to get into her bomb-ass gear and let one of the WWE's glam squad ladies give her a rough, mean look. She was running behind, but was having too tough of a time swallowing the jitterbugs that kept invading her. The privacy of the room she was sharing with her brothers was much more comfortable than running around backstage, where she'd have no choice but to be seen.

She'd done this a thousand times before, but she here she was, scared shitless. Perhaps it was the immaculate crowd? The amount of fans in attendance was more than TNA could ever hope. WWE was an entirely different world compared tot he ones she had been a part of once. Perhaps she was nervous to be working with AJ Styles once again in such close proximity. What if she wasn't well-received? What if she botched? What if she embarrassed the Wyatt Family? This was such an honorable character, she couldn't fuck it up...

"I can see that you are," Erick continued when she didn't respond immediately. "Don't worry, Chara. It's just us. Me and Bray. You've been working alongside us for quite awhile now, and we've got your back. No matter what happens, we'll defend you. Bray will make the in-ring calls for you tonight just as he does whenever you two lock up during practice. So, all you've got to do is pay attention to him and his cues."

Chara didn't know what to say. Once again, Erick Rowan's normally strong, silent nature all went out the window when he'd offered supportive advice. Bray was normally the one that volunteered to calm Chara's nerves, and Erick had shocked her once more.

"We believe in you, Abigail," Erick smiled-a foreign look for him, his red mustache lifting as his face gleamed with true excitement. "This is going to be a good night."

Chara bit her lip, then gave the mammoth of a man a giant hug. "I needed that. Thank you," she murmured into his fuzzy beard. Grumbling a reply, Erick stepped back.

"Get movin', now. You won't fit in with the rest of us if you don't look haggard," he said matter-of-fact; and she knew he was right.

Chara let out an awkward giggle. "I think somewhere in there, there was a compliment?" she asked. "I mean, I'll take what I can get. Next time you guys see me, I'll be malevolently transformed."

"We'll see you out there, kiddo," Erick replied.

"That you will."

* * *

Chara couldn't wait to shed this smelly trench coat once and for all. And tonight, Sister Abigail would finally be revealed.

Crouched beneath the hollow steel stairs with a tiny headset on, she patiently awaited the prompt from the referee, who was directly connected to her. She held her breath as Bray's eerie song filled the arena, the echo of his swamp song vibrating the steps. She wished she was able to see the fans, holding up their cell phones as they usually did whenever he made his entrance. Though she'd seen it quite a few times already, each time was surreal with how many people supported the man.

Bray had the microphone now, and she could hear his footsteps near her head against the canvas.

"So it would seem, the Phenomenal AJ Styles has been able to grasp pinfall after pinfall with each week that passes. But, I dare say, that just as the seasons change, so will your reign as WWE champion. There is no bad omen or angry spirit that will divert that. The season of AJ Styles...has ended. And it's time for something new. Something colder. And, mostly, something darker."

Chara's heart leapt when she heard Bray's promo, which was barely scripted at all. Shit, he amazed her; and she could only hope to one day be able to give a promo that she just thought of right then and there. At least, she supposed, under his expert tutelage, that wouldn't be completely impossible.

 _"Nope, they don't want none..."_

AJ's music now rang in Chara's ears, and her throat was instantly dry. In just a short while, she'd see him face-to-face. She'd have no hood covering her face anymore, nor would she be able to hide in a locker room from his gorgeous blue eyes. Trying to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat, she ignored the nerves that were beginning to climb as the so-called "face that runs the place" got a massive pop from the crowd.

"Cut the music," AJ's drawl now filled the air. Immediately, his entrance theme ceased; and the fans obediently silenced.

"I think, Bray, that you forget who you're talking to. As a matter of fact, there would be no Smackdown without AJ Styles. And, if there were no Smackdown, I would bet there would be no Bray Wyatt. Though, perhaps, that wouldn't exactly be a terrible thing.

"See, Bray, you might think that you can stand toe-to-toe with someone like me, but at the end of the day, you're just a strange swamp creature that hasn't come to terms that nobody can save you. No Erick Rowan can help you defeat me. No Braun Strowman, and no Luke Harper can help you achieve that much!" There was a curious mixture of boos and cheers from the spectators, but AJ held up his hand to quiet them.

"It looks as though Bray Wyatt and his band of circus clowns are nothing more but something to laugh at. A punch line. A... _joke_." With each word, she could hear AJ's voice nearing her. She was unsure if AJ's bit was scripted or not; it seemed to be a partial shoot on the Wyatt family. Then again, AJ did such an excellent job in nearly every aspect of the business that it wasn't a surprise he did as well as he had during this segment.

And with that, she could hear three sets of feet above the ring, listening intently to the referee's prompts in her ear. She could hear AJ call the moves throughout the match, but only barely. His voice carried so little that not even the microphones that the company normally put around the ring could pick up the sound. This was something that a true professional could perfect.

With each Irish whip, she grew increasingly warm. The cloak clung to her arms, and all she could imagine was the excitement of peeling off the wretched thing before helping her kayfabe brother finally pick up the win against this jackass. While she'd been ruining each match for the Wyatts in the past, all would be explained in time. This made things much more interesting, her character's complexity being both likable and infuriating. How many women right now could really say the characters they played were well-rounded? Chara knew she was lucky.

 _"Alright, we need to wrap up. We go off-screen in eight minutes,"_ she heard the referee tell both the competitors. Chara could hear the men begin to move back to the center of the ring, and she could hear AJ call for the Styles Clash. With an enormous thud above her, she heard her signal.

 _"Light's out, Abby,"_ a voice told her in her ear. Was that Vince McMahon's voice? It kind of sounded like it.

With that, she peeked out of her hiding spot under the hollow steps, the arena black. The plugged whispers became increasingly loud as she stretched for a split second before climbing up to the ring apron. The referee was nowhere in sight, as planned. She could see Bray Wyatt flat on his back, AJ standing over him with his hands on his hips. Even in the dark, she could see the glorious etched muscle of his abdomen. What she wouldn't do just to feel him against her once more...

 _Enough. Wrong time, wrong place,_ she thought to herself, adjusting her hood as the titantron now played a short video of a young girl's dirty feet running through a dark forest. Suddenly, the video stopped; the whispers grew louder, filling the arena in such a horror-movie way that it actually felt as though the room got cooler. She noticed the tech team had actually set up a fog machine, where a gopher had switched it on. She stood in a cloud of smoke, and she tried not to breathe in the cool, startling air.

She watched as the lights turned back up slowly. AJ's confused look was now on the titantron, his back to her. The crowd popped quite loudly once more, and she realized: The audience was cheering for _her._ For _Abigail._

Trying to keep her eyes from wandering to AJ's spandexed ass, she kept her head down, watching the Phenomenal One's feet until she could see that he had completely turned around to face her. Slowly, she put her head up, the hood still covering her eyes. A small, evil smile broke across her face. AJ, being ever the excellent actor, returned her smile. He pointed to Bray as though he expected her to finish the man off, and she moved her head in a slight nod.

Pointing to Bray, she began to close in on the ringpost. The crowd responded loudly as both her feet stood on the bottom rung, her cloak barely dusting the apron now. Still pointing at her brother, she watched as AJ neared her, and she slowly dragged her finger from one man...to the other. Now, her index finger was aimed directly at AJ Styles' heart.

"What? Why me?" AJ asked, pointing once more to Bray. This time, Chara got down from her perch, slowly pulling the hood from her head. In a few short seconds, the sweaty cloak had fallen to her feet. It was clear by her ring gear where her loyalties truly were, and AJ sold the reveal well. Her ring gear was excellent and grungy, dark brown shorts that had been designed by a company that also designed Bray's pants, _Wornstar_. They were short, full of studs and holes, and perfect. In a way, she felt like Lara Croft in them: a true bad-ass.

Her hair had been styled in an extremely messy, slept-in boho look. If she didn't know better, she'd expect a bug to crawl from behind her ear at any given moment. Sure, she looked gross. Yet somehow, the team had managed to make her look weirdly _hot._ The way she'd been made to look was unlike anything ever seen before. No woman had played a gimmick quite like this before within the WWE.

Though her eyes had been masked in dark makeup, her makeup artist had smudged her with bronzer, giving her a dirty appearance. As though she just walked through the forest to be there, and was now covered in mud.

She caught AJ's piercing eyes with her own, and her stomach dropped. Still pointing at him, he drew nearer, pleading with her to go after Bray. She smirked, holding his gaze still.

It was in that moment that she felt sheer loathing for her former trainer. As he stood there looking as gorgeous as he always had, he held an air of arrogance. The look in his eyes told her that he wasn't sorry. That he didn't care about what he did to her, betraying her and almost fucking up her entire career. For so long, Chara had held her own pity-party, believing that if she hadn't been so careless, she'd still be wrestling regularly.

But wasn't AJ partially to blame, too?

Still standing on the apron, her eyes seared into AJ's, the burning fury almost unbearable. She knew she had to do something. And what she wanted to do? Something that would embarrass him as much as he had to her.

"I'm coming for you," she murmured inaudibly.

"You're supposed to go up top," AJ said quickly.

"Nope, not this time. Trust me," the short conversation was so quick that nobody could have guessed it had taken place at all. Though Chara could watch AJ hesitate, she bounced over the ropes to execute his move with ease.

Her body clashed into AJ's as he took a Phenomenal Forearm, both of them crashing to the ground. She recovered quickly, sitting on her knees as hands dragged through her raggedy hair.

"You're going to get fined for that," she heard AJ whisper as he lay there motionless. "Changing the match and using my move against me."

"You deserve it, champ," she replied bitterly as she crawled away towards the other body. Though the larger man had began to stir, she helped dragged Bray up to a standing position. Bray looked at her with confusion and wonder, much like a child. Again, she wondered if he was playing his character or if he was actually embracing the small change of the match. She had a feeling it was a combination of both.

With still no referee in sight, she knew that the match was over. That the show was nearly over, too. This match would be ended as a draw. But not before...

As she thought it, Bray's knees hit the ground, his arms outstretched before him. His head was bowed down, and Chara watched as one of the hands by the announce team slid a microphone towards the Eater of Worlds. She stood there as a queen might do, watching Bray praise her while he was in her mystical presence.

Grabbing the microphone, Bray looked up at her with a large smile. Still on his knees, he drew a breath.

"Oh, Abigail, I knew it was you," he stated simply, dropping the microphone with a plunk. Once more, his arms were outstretched, and his head bowed down.

The show closed with the painfully loud whispers, and the lights dimmed.

Sister Abigail had finally debuted.


	15. Ego

**So, here we are again. I don't mean to suck at updating. Admittedly, I've been less than impressed with the WWE so I haven't been involved much in any aspect.**

* * *

 _October 4, 2016: San Diego, California; Immediately following Smackdown Live_

It turned out that the voice giving commands in Chara's earpiece actually _was_ Vince McMahon.

She knew this now because she had heard him yelling at Brian James (aka, Road Dogg) in the other room following her debut. As one of the top officials, Road Dogg allowed the boss to chastise him for Chara's misstep in the ring. Although Chara had chosen to re-write the ending in the spur of the moment, Mr. McMahon had apparently believed that the latter was responsible for the change in the match's finish.

Chara and Bray waited outside of the room the boss had yanked Road Dogg into. The pair would be spoken to next.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, shifting uncomfortably against the stucco wall. Her heavy cloak was slung into her arms, and she kind of just wanted to toss it on to the floor for now.

"Sorry? For what?" Bray wondered. His eyes were sharp, and he was definitely angry.

"For trying to embarrass AJ. I don't know what I was thinking."

Bray's eyes crinkled as his expression turned into a satisfied smile. "Are you really sorry, though, Chara? Why apologize for something that I know you're not sorry for?"

"Because...well..." she was at a loss for words.

"So what if you changed the ending? First of all, except that bit, the match and debut went flawlessly. While I'm not happy that you didn't follow the match's course exactly, I don't blame you. You opted to humiliate AJ Styles with his own move out of complete anger and aggression. Do you see why I think this is a good thing?"

"Um," she replied, both confused and happy that Bray wasn't ready to kick her to the curb. "Because it makes me look like a psycho ex-girlfriend?" she guessed, her sad smile lifting.

"Well, no, not quite. It makes your character more real. More depth to your on-screen persona. I think that I can fix this with Vince."

"How?"

"Don't worry about it. Just let me do the talking."

Just as he stated those final words, the office room door flung open. Both men stood inside, hands on their hips. Vince welcomed them both in, his face still blotchy with anger. Road Dogg looked rather grim, and he closed the door behind them.

"Congratulations on an excellent debut, Abby," Vince McMahon smiled widely, offering his hand out to Chara. "I'm quite glad that we've gotten your talent in our company. It also appears that Bray has done a fantastic job coaching you."

Bray thanked the boss before retreating once again.

"I do question, however, the use of the Phenomenal Forearm," Vince said sharply. "Brian here says that he did not suggest using the move to finish the match. Is that true, Chara?"

Chara glanced at Bray. "Yes, that's true," she replied honestly. Her stomach was sinking. Was she about to get let go?

"Sir, if I could-" Bray interjected, but Vince held up a hand. "No, no. I want to see Chara's take on this debacle. I know you can clear this up just fine, but I'm interested to see what she has to say about it."

Chara took a deep breath, feeling as though she had rocks in her stomach. "I guess I just...got nervous. I didn't know what to do, so I reached into my move arsenal something that was a bit more comfortable for me." It wasn't a total lie. Chara hadn't been much of a top-rope person since blowing her knee awhile back. But, with Vince's eyebrow raised, she suspected that he didn't believe the whole thing.

"So, rumor has it that AJ Styles was your trainer during your time with TNA," Vince stated matter-of-factly. "You are considered one of the most talented women wrestlers in the United States just because of that simple fact. You can't tell me you got nervous when you've performed in front of massive crowds for a long, long time. So this time, don't give me cock and bull. What's the real reason?"

Chara sighed. "I also just wanted to embarrass AJ," she muttered, sheepishly avoiding Bray's gaze.

Vince waved a finger in the air, beaming. "Ah, there we have it. You should know, as the owner, I have eyes and ears everywhere. So, I'm aware of the messy triangle you were involved in. I'll admit, I'm less than pleased with the decision on your part. However, between us four and the walls, I'm not particularly fond of Styles myself."

Chara's eyebrows shot up, surprised at the admission.

"If you ever tell someone else my feelings towards him, I'll deny it until I die. You see, AJ Styles had turned down a contract from my company, time and time again. No matter what amount of money I'd offered him. No matter what promises I made him. I'm happy to have him on board now, and I can't believe the amount of viewers he has single-handedly drawn in. I've been willing to let bygones be bygones, but I still have a small bit of ill will towards him. Call it stroking my own ego, but I wanted to prove my point: WWE will trump TNA, every time. So, I'm hoping that by bringing you here will pull him down a few notches."

 _Wait...what?_

"That being said, there are consequences for your actions, Chara. Unfortunately, you won't be able to compete for the Smackdown women's title for six months because of your choices today. However, I'm quite impressed that you went about things the way you did. You execute AJ's move just as well as he does."

"Thank you," Chara said quietly, her cheeks inflamed. She didn't know what to make of this entire situation. Not only did Vince McMahon know about her hairy past, he actually sent Hunter looking for _her_ so that he could get the last laugh over AJ Styles. To prove a point. To _stroke his ego._ She wasn't completely upset over her punishment, especially given the role she was in right now. She figured that was the point. A slap on the wrist, more or less.

"I've actually been thinking," Bray spoke again for the first time in awhile, "that perhaps Sister Abigail uses her opponent's finisher every time? In a strange channel of energy, if you will."

Road Dogg perked up once again, clearly liking this idea. "You know, that could work," he stated. "If Chara is able to execute the forearm, surely she could do the same with others. To be honest, I don't hate it."

Vince, too, was nodding in agreement. "It's better than trying to pretend that whole part didn't exist in tonight's match, because it was fire! Sure, we can cut that out of video packages, but I feel like that whole moment was beautiful. Chara, the look on your face was pure hatred right before you took the spring. Bray, the way you've formed her into your vision has done well. Very, very well. I'm impressed, you two. I'd like to drag the story for awhile, but I'm thinking that with Abigail at his side, Bray Wyatt will win the belt."

Bray was smiling once more, happy with the news. Chara supposed that Vince was going to tear both of them new assholes, verbally assaulting them for doing such a juvenile thing. Yet, it turned out, he wasn't an AJ Styles fan at all. In a weird way, it was a breath of fresh air knowing that not everyone was under the spell of the Phenomenal one.

"Alright, you two. Brian and I have a little bit of talking to do. He will message you next week's plans. Abby, you're doing great work. Keep it up." Vince opened the door for the pair, clearly dismissing them from the session. Chara half-mindedly wondered if Vinnie Mac actually knew her real name, as he kept calling her Abby.

With that, they exited. As soon as the door shut, Bray turned to Chara, enveloping her into a giant bear hug.

"Congratulations on such a great debut, Sister," he stated heartily. "I'm so proud of you. You held your ground with Mr. McMahon, you looked great out there...man, I sure got lucky!"

"No, no...congratulations to you! You're on the fast track to winning the belt," she smiled, patting him on the back. "I'm just along for the ride."

Bray broke the brotherly embrace, stepping back and measuring her up carefully. "You know, I don't think it would've happened without you," he admitted.

"But they've been looking for a decent Sister Abigail for a long time," Chara pointed out. "Someone else could've gotten you to that point."

Bray laughed once. "No, Chara, that's where you are quite wrong. I highly doubt anyone but you would make this gimmick work. Can you imagine if someone like...I dunno, Randy Savage had gotten the Undertaker's gimmick? It just doesn't make sense. The same could be said in this situation. Some people are just meant for a certain path. And for you, I truly believe it was playing Sister Abigail."

Chara beamed. "But it was all a ploy to piss off AJ. Vince literally admitted that just now."

"Perhaps," Bray said thoughtfully. "But, if you didn't have the talent you do, you wouldn't be where you are now. Surely, no matter what Vince's ego told him to do, his son-in-law would have set him straight. So, Hunter must have seen something in you, too."

Chara crossed and uncrossed her arms, making a face.

"Keep making that face, and it'll get stuck like that," a southern drawl spat her way. "Couldn't be much worse than your natural look, though."

Chara whipped around, face to face with fucking AJ Styles. Her heart began beating rapidly, and she probably could've vomited everywhere. Whatever effect he had on her once upon a time still very much existed. How in the hell would she ever get that to go away?

"Didn't stop you from anything before," she muttered back, rolling her darkened eyes. "Don't you have something better to do?"

"Than talk to you? Always," AJ replied. "But, I'm actually hoping to talk to Bray for a moment. I've got a couple of spots I'd like to work with him. Given, of course, that you don't go ahead and change them last minute," his eyes trailed over to Bray now, who so far had remained silent. Bray gave one silent nod, and Chara took that as her moment to leave the two men.

"You sure you don't want me to stick around?" Chara muttered to AJ as she turned on her heel, ensuring that Bray wouldn't be able to hear her well. "I'm sure I can make it...worth your while," she teased, interested to see the response. Shit, if he was going to be a massive douchebag, she might as well ruffle his feathers, too. Although she watched his jaw grind and back stiffen, he didn't reply.

Laughing, she continued to leave the two men to discuss their next few matches. "I'll catch you tomorrow, Bray," she called out over her shoulder. "I'll just ride back to the hotel with Erick."

And with that, she disappeared.

* * *

 _October 5, 2016: 1:03 AM; San Diego, California_

"See, the thing is, I couldn't stand being second-best to anyone," Baron Corbin stated matter-of-factly. "That's why, I got so fuckin' annoyed when I wasn't called up with some of my class. I felt like I'd put in tons of work, and even though I know I started in on the WWE kind of late, I made damn sure that I didn't humiliate myself by sucking in the ring." Baron placed his glass of water down, grabbing for the pot of coffee that he'd ordered about a half hour ago.

Chara listened as she found out a bit about the towering superstar's backstory, intrigued by all of his accomplishments prior to joining NXT. As he spoke, she swirled the whipped cream around the top of her milkshake, sucking the white fluff off the end.

"You know, when you do that, you make it hard to focus," Baron's eyes shone wildly, and she knew exactly what he meant. Her cheeks flushed, pushing her drink back as she apologized.

She was currently sitting across from the man at a 24-hour diner just down the block from their hotel. As it turned out, her run-in with AJ had gone on a hair too long. Unfortunately, Erick Rowan had already left the arena. Pretty much, she had no choice but to find someone else to ride with. She would rather chew off her own foot than ask Nattie or Nikki after the totally awkward dinner they'd had. Sami was obviously not an option-her hormones were already totally out of whack from being around AJ. She was certain she'd end up bawling her eyes out if she had to ask him for a ride.

So, she had texted the Lone Wolf, who was in the parking lot, but not yet gone. He had been so sweet to her; doing chivalrous things like opening her door, asking if her seat was adjusted comfortably, and offering to get something to eat.

And now, about an hour later, they were waiting for their orders and making small talk. She kept her guard up a bit; the last time she got into any relationship in the business obviously turned out terribly. But, the more she was with Baron Corbin during the course of the evening, the more her walls crumbled. The only other person that had been so easy to talk to was Bray. It was a breath of fresh air, she decided, to find someone she could talk to with such ease. Even if she wasn't ready to be anything other than a friend.

At least, not yet...

Their waitress swung by, dropping off a bottle of ketchup at their table before heading off to do whatever else. Chara played with the strings of her sweater, still embarrassed by her accidental sexualization of a straw.

"So, tell me how you got fast-tracked to the main roster," Baron must've realized she was a bit uncomfortable, choosing not reverting back to the straw comment.

Chara thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I think I must've had the look they were looking for," she said, trying to hide the shake in her voice. No way was she going to tell him the real reasons. "I was decent enough in the ring, too. I think that ultimately, it was Bray's decision. Bray's creation, after all, y'know?" she was totally lying to him. But...well, the less he knew, the better.

"That's some lucky shit right there," he said. "I'm glad that I've met you. You're one cool chick."

Chara laughed, and in a few seconds, their waitress appeared once again. This time, she held both plates of food.

Over the course of their late-night meal, they joked and flirted between bites. It was nice, she thought, that Baron was someone new. For a long time, she'd been hung up on the same two people who had shattered her heart.

Once they'd finished, she reached for the bill. When Baron placed his hand over hers, telling her that he wouldn't allow that, she agreed to let him pay. However, she told him that she would certainly be the one to pay the tip.

The pair left, full of food and overly tired. When their hotel came into view, Chara looked forward to the bed awaiting her.

"I'll walk you to your room, if you'd like," Baron offered, and she agreed. She hoped he didn't want to come in, although she began suspecting that's exactly what he was hoping for. It's not that she didn't think the guy was attractive or anything, because oh, did she ever. But, she wanted to gain more trust before something like that happened between them. The last thing she wanted was to solidify the reputation she already had.

Once they got to the room assigned to her, he tilted her chin up, lowering his face slightly. "I really had a nice time, Chara. Hopefully, we can have more of them," he began to step closer, and she knew he was going for a kiss.

And, naturally, the room right next to hers swung open. Since Chara was the unluckiest person in possibly the entire world, AJ Styles stood in the doorway, water bottle in hand. Baron stepped back, acknowledging that they weren't alone anymore.

"And here I thought it was just me that liked to work out at the odd hours," he grumbled. He checked the time on his phone, shaking his head. "It's only just after 2, though. I guess it's a different kind of work out."

Chara's cheeks were red, but she wasn't going to let AJ run amuck and embarrass her. "Jealous much, champ?"

AJ rolled his eyes, pushing past them. "Hardly. Corbin, you really ought to get going."

Baron raised an eyebrow, annoyed. "And why's that?"

AJ went to the water fountain straight across the hall. "You know exactly why you should get going," he muttered. "You'll get twisted up in a whole lotta trouble if you're not careful."

Now, Chara expected Baron Corbin to defend her. But instead, he replied with a solemn nod, stopping and tucking Chara's hair behind her ear before heading back towards the elevator door.

"Well, looks like a zebra can't change it's stripes," he spoke to her after his water bottle was full. "I have to admit, though, _Alyx_ , even though I couldn't give a care less, you really shouldn't be hanging around that guy," he added. Chara noticed he used her former TNA ring name, dragging it out with such disdain that it cut like a blade. Fuck, he was trying to get under his skin. And it was working.

"And why not? He actually treats me like a human being. Unlike you, who continues to talk down to me. Like, do you even realize the shit you put me through? I am lucky to be here at all. I had to run to Japan just to make any money, 'cause of you," she jabbed her finger at him, her temper flaring. She supposed it was being overtired that she was telling him a few things that had been on her mind for the past couple years. "I really thought...you and me...well, I don't know what I thought," she said finally, turning away.

She didn't know what to expect from AJ. He wasn't going to console her in any way, as his hatred for her ran pretty deep. Chara hoped he would acknowledge that he was in the wrong for denying that there was anything between them. For running her name through the mud in online reports.

Instead, he stood there as though she wasn't even there at all. He was looking right through her. She didn't know what hurt worse.

"You know what? Nevermind. I'm gonna go to bed," she jerked back to her partially open door. Hopefully, none of her colleagues had their ears pressed to their doors, listening in on their exchange. But, luckily, most normal people were already asleep. She wondered why AJ was one of the few who were actually awake.

"Chara," AJ spoke her name slowly. She turned, and he hesitated. He had more to say, and she could tell. But, he said nothing.

"Yeah...so, bed," she said once more.

"Quit walkin' around here like you're the only one who got hurt," he said finally. "I don't have much more to say about our past. I think I said enough when I broke Zayn's nose."

Chara opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.

"Don't blame me for running to New Japan, either," AJ continued. "That promotion made you even better in the ring than you already were. I don't think that's a bad thing. It got you here, didn't it?" Chara bit her lip, knowing that wasn't the reason at all. But she would let AJ believe that it was.

"As far as sneaking around with Baron Corbin goes, though, if you don't want to get hurt anymore, I suggest you don't get involved in that. You sure will get hurt."

Chara shook her head. "See, you're wrong about that. Why would he hurt me?"

AJ yawned, giving a quick stretch before reaching for the doorknob of his own room. She pretended the ripples under his shirt didn't exist, tearing her eyes away from him.

"Well, that's not exactly my business. Maybe you should ask Baron, since you two get along so well."

Chara grunted, frustrated by his lack of information. "Go fuck yourself, AJ," she said simply. She already closed the door to her room, but she could hear him laughing.

"Find out the hard way, then," he said, before she could hear his door close and lock, too. She swallowed the lump in her throat, stripping off her clothes until she only wore her bra and underwear. She slid on top of the duvet, wishing she wasn't alone.


	16. Guilt

**So, here we are again. This is a long one. Hope everyone in the U.S. had a swell Independence Day!  
**

* * *

 _October 7, 2016: San Jose, California; Following a SD Live House Show  
_

Since his exchange with his ex... _whatever she was,_ AJ Styles had been a quiet wreck. House shows came and went, and while Chara Wright usually was involved in his matches, he couldn't find himself to even look her way. The entire exchange during the wee hours of the morning a few days back had him over-thinking pretty much everything. At the time of the... _incident_ , he hadn't thought twice about turning the tables on her. He wanted to protect his own career, and he wanted her to feel just as much pain as he had.

But to see her running around with god damn Baron Corbin was something he wasn't prepared for. Luckily, Corbin ran off in the other direction once AJ told him to fuck off. Baron Corbin knew exactly why he ought to, and rather than wreck his reputation before he could even build one, he left AJ and Chara to hash out their differences.

Except, they didn't exactly hammer out a damn thing between them. AJ stood numbly while Chara made him feel guilty. He had always thought that she was completely in the wrong, leading him on and lying about the fact that she hadn't cut the boyfriend out of the picture yet. If she had ditched Sami Zayn when she said she had, he always wondered where they could've taken TNA, if they'd been together. Would they have gone the similar route of Maria and Mike Bennett? Or would it have blown up in their faces?

But he also wondered if there was more to the story. What if Chara had believed that the relationship with Sami Zayn _was_ over? What if she had no clue that he was coming to see her? If he was just attending the show to give a last-ditch effort at being together? From what he could recall, Sami had chosen to stick around in Ring of Honor, not even bothering to comfort his girlfriend after she'd been dismissed.

AJ had always written Chara off as the bad guy, disregarding her feelings completely. But at two in the morning, she was tired and on edge. For the first time, she'd given him a tiny glimpse into her life since they went their separate ways.

And while he was married now, and for the most part quite happy, it was clear that she hadn't been able to move forward. She wasn't happy. She was lucky to be wrestling anymore at all...and it was partially his fault. She was still trying to patch up a broken heart. AJ supposed he hoped that one day she could find happiness with someone, but god damn, that girl made some awful choices.

On the flip side, why should he feel bad at all? He hadn't thought much of her until he was forced to work this story with her. And, never in a million years did he think that she'd show up in the WWE. He admittedly kept tabs on her during her run in Japan, and had been told she'd mostly kept to herself despite catching the eye of some of the guys at NJPW. And, not that he'd ever say it out loud, but he was proud of how far she'd come in her wrestling ability and breaking the stiffness of her moves. She seemed to leave the dramatic exit from TNA in the dust, moving on to be better. Coupled with her newfound character, his little protegee seemingly hit a stride.

Shit, he hadn't given this much thought to his relationship with Chara since she tore his heart out. AJ didn't even know what to think or feel about it.

"How's it goin', champ?" he turned to face Nikki Bella, who was wheeling her luggage tote behind her. No matter what time of day, Nikki looked fantastic; and each interaction with the Bella twin, AJ found himself growing more fond of her. She was kind, she was gorgeous, and she was welcoming. She stood by John Cena through thick and thin, and for some reason, the three of them shared some odd unspoken bond between one another simply because the work they'd all done together in the months past. Never in a million years did AJ Styles think he'd be good friends with two of the most in-your-face superstars in the United States, but they were likeable and talented. Those traits were difficult to ignore.

AJ offered her a weak smile. Rumors had swirled backstage that Nikki and Natalya tried to gain interest from Chara in their television series, _Total Divas._ Even though the gossip varied, it seemed that whatever happened when they approached the newbie was a trainwreck. Chara was avidly avoiding all of the cast members.

 _Good,_ AJ thought to himself. He knew and understood how great of a platform the show had been for the other women. It might've been good for Chara, too, if it didn't mean their history didn't get dragged into it. But because he was a star and the show was mostly interested in ratings, they would've exploited the real-life drama from the years past. Additionally, Sami Zayn was currently dating Mandy from NXT, who made appearances on the show from time to time. All of that spelled drama. Not to mention, AJ's wife knew very little of Chara. If _E!_ chose to spin the story a certain way, AJ could be facing straight fire from his wife, too. Women were weird like that.

Keeping Chara away from that show was best for everyone.

"That good, huh?" Nikki smiled back slowly, not allowing AJ's non-answer to chase her away. "Well, it can't be much worse than me. If it makes you feel any better, I have to take time away from the ring again. Hopefully, I can complete the shows through _Wrestlemania_ , but...well, the doctors are worried that I'm going to re-injure myself," Nikki was clearly deflated, a far cry from her normally bubbly personality.

"Man, I'm sorry to hear that," AJ apologized. He meant it. Especially since Nikki Bella had been sidelined with a harrowing injury so recently.

Nikki shrugged a little. "I'm disappointed. But, on the flip side, with Brie being pregnant..." a tiny flicker of a smile lit up her face.

"Yeah, you ought to look at things in that light. That way, you can keep yourself healthy and take care of your sister," AJ offered. "You never know, it might just be a blessing in disguise for you."

Nikki gave a small nod, and she straightened out a little. She clearly was feeling better from the interaction. "You're right, Styles," she beamed. "I hate being away from the ring when it's not my choice to be. But I have a good feeling that Brie will want me around to help her with the baby. Kind of like how she helped me out while I was out with my bum neck. It's a twin thing," she rolled her eyes, her bright red lips still smirking. "Thanks for making that blow a little less heavy on me. But, I'm not gonna let you off that easily."

"What do you mean?" AJ squinted, not wanting to let on that he was still obviously frustrated.

"I mean, something was bothering you before, and something still is. Quit trying to skate around it."

"It's dumb, Nikki. Don't you worry about it."

"Girl drama?" she guessed easily.

AJ drew a breath. "Kind of, I guess. But I've just been thinking a lot today," he admitted.

"Care to talk about it?"

He didn't, but he thought about a way to word things simply. "Do you ever wonder how things would've turned out for you if things had worked out between you and Dolph?"

Nikki made a face. "Sure, I guess. I mean, I was young and so was he. I got hurt pretty badly. Dolph was kind of a man-whore. Eventually, I had no choice but to call it quits. I never would have been as happy as I am now, that's for sure. I was always worried about what he was doing while we were apart. I'll tell you what, though. As I move on with my life and continue without him, Dolph seems to be at a stand still. Like, he'll never be as happy as he could've been. But that's not my fault, that's his. Sometimes I feel sorry for him, but you know what? I can't be held responsible for his choices."

In a roundabout way, Nikki had answered the exact questions he had on his mind. She was right; Chara's decisions were her own.

"However," Nikki continued, "I didn't reveal publicly about my relationship with Dolph until recently. To protect our careers as we both tried to achieve bigger goals with the WWE. I never, ever would've gone to a reporter with something that could've wrecked him. That's just...mean," her eyes narrowed, and she bit her lip nervously. Worry struck her gorgeous face, as though she was afraid she'd gone too far. Quickly, she recovered, patting AJ's shoulder with a perfectly manicured hand. "I'm not dumb, AJ, even though many people will bit to differ."

"You mean beg," AJ muttered under his breath, hating how quickly she was catching on to this conversation. Why had he opted to seek advice from a woman, again? They had this way of siphoning information out of people.

"Whatever," Nikki responded. "My point is, you were both in the wrong. Be happy that you have been able to move on with your life. Dolph, as you can see, clearly hasn't. He's been in a few awful relationships, and I don't want to toot my own horn, but he's not going to be happy until he accepts that he really messed things up with me."

"I think Chara knows that she messed things up with me. And Sami," he replied, figuring that at this point, he may as well lay his cards out on the table. It wasn't a shock to anyone anymore, especially since they'd approached Chara with a built-in storyline for their show. Fuck, they all knew. He might as well admit it, too. "But I heard her outside my hotel room the other night. She was with Baron Corbin," he gave her a solemn look, hoping she caught on. Corbin was trouble, and most people knew it. But how much Corbin's colleagues knew, exactly, was varied.

"Sounds like a bite from the jealous bug," Nikki jested. AJ realized that she didn't know, then. "He's young and handsome. A little bit rough. A lot like Chara. You never know, champ, things might work out better than you think for them. I think you should be happy that she's found someone like that."

"Someone like Corbin? C'mon, Nik, you can't be serious." AJ replied, the words leaving his mouth before he had a chance to stop them. "Chara deserves much better than that."

Nikki clicked her tongue in response. "I don't know, Styles. If you've still got a schoolboy crush on her, you really should keep quiet about it. People around here talk..."

AJ rolled his eyes, although he didn't deny it. If anything, this new thing Chara was doing with the Wyatt family was grungy, strange, and sexy as hell. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud. Nikki was right, and people liked to talk.

"Fuck, it's not even that. It's been a long time since we were even a thing," AJ said finally. He wasn't going to talk about Baron Corbin's business, because it wasn't the right thing to do...not to mention, he didn't like to participate in locker room gossip. But, this seemed like a critically different circumstance.

"I'd rather she be with Zayn, honestly," AJ finally said. "Because I _know_ that Baron Corbin is a scumbag."

Nikki squinted her eyes, questioning the veteran superstar. "He could take a few more showers during a week, but I don't know about a scumbag," she replied, twisting her mouth in confusion.

"I...shit, well, it's not really my business. But Corbin's been seeing someone for quite awhile, just keeping it quiet. I can see that he's just using Chara as a side toy while he's on the road."

Nikki's mouth dropped a little. "Are you sure? Last I knew, Baron Corbin was available."

"Yeah, because he wants you pretty 'lil girls to think he is," AJ replied sullenly. "But, here's the worst of it. And I don't even care if you run to tell Chara. If I told her, she'll accuse me of making up stories to keep her unhappy."

"Hate to break it to you, but I kind of get why she'd think that," Nikki interjected, but AJ held up a hand in response.

"Save it," he said simply, his tone flat. "Baron Corbin's girlfriend? She's seven months pregnant."

* * *

Chara still hadn't heard from Baron Corbin since their impromptu date. She'd been thinking so much about the altercation between herself and AJ Styles that she literally had been having dreams about the phenomenal one lately. In each dream, he'd pop up randomly, telling her she wasn't performing with enough charisma.

What happened the night he night that Styles had caught her trapping around with Baron still was a whirlwind. That, and she'd noticed the past few days, Bray had been estranged from her. He kept making up odd excuses as to why he couldn't train with her. Although he encouraged her to train alone, and he had suggested she watch a few promos on YouTube that he thought might help her out. Erick had been around much more than Bray, but he wasn't as talkative and she still felt awkward around him without Bray as their buffer.

Tonight's house show had gone off really well, and she was excited for their next televised event. With the pay-per-view _No Mercy_ only two days away, she was both excited and nervous to get involved in the main event. AJ was supposed to face off against John Cena and Dean Ambrose, but wouldn't be dropping the title to either. Instead, Abigail would get herself involved. She'd perform a quick 'Dirty Deeds' to Dean while Cena was fucking off outside the ring for awhile. AJ would get the win, but he'd be attacked shortly after by Bray.

It would be the first pay-per-view that she'd really get to be a part of. Even though her part was small, and she really couldn't fuck up a basic DDT, she still found herself giddy with nerves just at the thought of the whole thing. She was grateful, too, that she was pitted against Dean Ambrose. She really doubted she could channel the "energy" to put Cena in any move at all, let alone an 'Attitude Adjustment'.

Even still, it was odd to have Bray so distant. Erick had said something about it earlier in the evening, too; so she knew she wasn't just making things up.

"Hey, you looked great tonight," a voice that was heartbreakingly familiar came from behind, causing Chara to jump a little.

"Thanks, Sami," she said quietly, her eyes darting down the empty hallway. "You didn't look half-bad, either. The Miz is an excellent worker, and you two worked really well together."

Sami beamed, his dimples causing a gut-wrenching feeling in her stomach. Would she ever be able to get over either of those men? She wasn't sure.

 _At least Baron Corbin is a new face,_ she reminded herself. If anything, Baron could be helpful as far as breaking her ties to Sami and AJ.

"I was actually wondering if maybe you were free to talk?" Sami asked. "I mean, after you get cleaned up and stuff. We haven't had a proper talk since that totally awkward night with the _Total Divas_ cast. And you deserve more than a text message."

"You figured that out kind of late," Chara mumbled, and she knew Sami heard her. She didn't care.

Sami sighed. "Look, just hear me out for a second, alright? Let's cut off the loose strings. You can go ride around on motorcycles with loverboy after we sort this out."

"Why? Is the amazing Mandy Rose pressing for a ring or something?" Chara spat, hating the way she came off. But did Sami really need to bring up Baron Corbin that way?

Sami's ears turned pink, and he was either angry or embarrassed. She guessed the latter.

"Well, before you give her a rock, maybe you ought to tell her about how you decided to leave me in the dust to pursue your career with Ring of Dishonor," Chara continued, hating herself a little for bringing up the past.

"I'm not giving Mandy a ring," Sami breathed. "Trust me, we're not quite ready for that. But I would like to make it official with her. Actually, _Total Divas_ offered me a lot of money to-"

Chara held her hand up, ready to burst. "You're not seriously going to ask her to be your girlfriend for _ratings_ , are you Sami? You've got to be shitting me. That godawful show has been trying to get me to sign on for the next season since I got here, because apparently Chara Wright equals drama. But I know myself better than that, and I know you better than that. No amount of money can buy my peace of mind. Maybe it'd help my career eventually, but I'd rather I do it with what I bring to the ring, not the dumb shit I've done outside of it. And you ought to think the same way. But, then again, you've done plenty of questionable things when it came to your career. Being a regular on some reality TV show is hardly a shocker."

Sami's ears were bright, jolly red now. "I just want closure between you and I before I pursue something serious with Mandy. It's to the point that I think I'd like to. And with the cameras there, getting it all for the world to see...Maybe that's not a bad business move. It'd pay for my rent the rest of the year."

 _Well, shit._ What could she say to that? Then again, she was certain she'd make plenty of money if she'd signed on to the show. But between Bray's warnings and her gut instinct, she knew it wasn't worth it.

"Why? What's next, a wedding for the world to see? Gonna pull a Daniel Bryan?" Chara taunted, feeling her emotions heighten. Daniel was Sami's mentor during his time with NXT, and the two shared some odd bro-bond.

"For fuck's sake. Chara-coal, no!" Sami's frustration was letting loose, and it was satisfying to see him give out. "I like Mandy. She's a great girl. And one day, we could be something special. But the only girl I ever thought I'd marry is standing in front of me, acting like a total bitch."

"You were too busy with your career to give a shit about marrying me," Chara waved her hand in the air, deflecting the invisible bullshit that he was spewing her way.

Sami shook his head, his face annoyed and appalled at the same time. "You know that the only reason I came to TNA that night was to propose to you, right? You were supposed to finally beat Mickie for the belt, and I was going to give you the ring I had picked out for you."

Chara was shocked. She wasn't sure she'd heard him right. Had she been wrong about Sami this entire time? Did she despise him for no reason? Was he really trying to make things right between his career and his girlfriend that entire time? She swallowed back a lump in her throat, not knowing what to say to that.

"Yeah, you hear that right," Sami said finally. It was like they still had an unspoken connection; Sami could see right through her and read her thoughts. But then, they used to be inseparable.

Used to be.

"I thought things were going okay for you in TNA. Looking back, I can see you were acting strange. But things were going great for me in ROH. I thought that maybe, even though we were on different brands, that we could still make it work. Because I loved you so much, Chara. I loved you more than I could even comprehend for my age. I knew things were kind of weird between us, but I figured it was because we were separated. If we'd been married, our brands really couldn't have kept us apart. So, I finally decided that we should just make it happen. I called up Cesaro, made him sit through a painful amount of time at the jewelry store, and found something special for you.

"Except," he wagged his finger in the air, "I didn't know that you were already setting your mind on someone else. Imagine my shock and hurt upon finding out that the girl I wanted to marry was spending her free time training in the bedroom with, well, her trainer."

Chara shifted the weight of her feet, the uncomfortable feeling between the two of them hovering in the air. "I'm sorry, Sammers," she said quietly. "I really didn't think you wanted to be with me anymore..."

"How would you know that when you never picked up your damn phone?" he threw his hands up in the air. "I was successful before coming here, sure, but you weren't there to celebrate the happiness with me."

"Neither were you," Chara replied dully. "Regardless, if I've learned anything since then, it's that everyone could've played their role differently. I've been written off as some skank, but I'm rebuilding myself now. AJ sold me out to protect himself, even though the three of us know that he was just as much to blame. Lucky for him, he was humiliated for a few days and would go on to achieve some of the greatest things imaginable. You were guilty of putting your career above your relationship. You made me feel so small...like, if I would've pulled that on you, Sam, you would've hated that."

Sami wrinkled his nose in response. "But to sleep with your trainer, Char? Why would you do that to me?"

Chara bit her lip. "Because I thought you were gonna leave me anyways," she replied. "You were doing well for yourself. I had a crush on AJ because...I dunno, he's AJ. I thought you were going to officially break things off because you were so distant. If I'd have known that you were looking to propose..." her voice cracked, and she could feel herself getting choked up. She willed her tears away. This was definitely not the time for the waterworks to flow.

 _Keep strong,_ she told herself. "Things could've gone much differently for us," she said through choked tears.

"I know," he gave a small nod. "Last summer, Tyler Breeze tied the knot with his girl. And all I could think was that that should've been us."

"I-" Chara opened her mouth to reply, but a girlish giggle tinkled from just down the hall. Sami heard it, too, and she could hear him ask if she'd like to continue their talk somewhere more private. But his words were very faint as she watched the petite, curly-haired ring announcer adjust her dress as she emerged from one of the locker rooms near the end of the corridor.

Sami's eyes knit in confusion upon seeing JoJo, who normally was one of the first to leave the building at the end of the night. JoJo hadn't seen them yet, and she yanked on a hand of someone else was in the locker room, too. Pulling Chara back behind a shadowy corner, Sami held his finger up to his lips. She wanted to protest, but something told Chara they were seeing something they weren't supposed to be seeing. Being close to Sami again was electric, and her body couldn't seem to figure out what was happening.

"C'mon, the coast is clear," JoJo purred, her voice velvety. "Let's take this back to my room."

The next thing Sami and Chara saw was shocking. Sami's eyes bugged out of his head, and Chara's heart leapt up her throat. They silently looked towards each other, unsure that they were making something out of nothing.

But when she watched JoJo stand on her tiptoes to give Bray Wyatt a sultry kiss before he pressed her up against the wall in a lustful embrace, they quickly realized that this wasn't nothing.

Chara was watching her trainer cheat on his wife back home.


	17. Loved

**More? Yessss.  
**

 **8,700 reads! WOW! Special thanks to all of my reviewers, you all truly keep me going. Armbar Nation, you are one of my biggest motivators. And angelsdee, I love when you review. I'm glad you have found the pieces with Nikki oddly satisfying.**

 **Holy cow, all three of them are starting to realize that the love triangle wasn't solely one person's fault! And, how about Baron Corbin?!**

* * *

 _October 9, 2016: Sacramento, California; two hours before the No Mercy Pay-Per-View  
_

Chara sat on top of a prop tote in the back, watching as the bustle prior to the show began. She had to get to hair and makeup in about an hour, but until then, she was just biding her time. Like hell if she was going to start getting dressed early tonight. Especially with what she had to wear for this particular evening. Instead, she wore black yoga pants and an olive green "Follow the Buzzards" WWE authentic t-shirt. She wore her dark-rimmed glasses, which she normally needed to read. And while she had her Kindle Fire in her messenger bag, she just couldn't seem to focus on the words. Which was too bad, because she'd just downloaded a particularly engrossing romance novel.

'Cause you had to get romance from somewhere, right?

It had been an awkward few days. Bray Wyatt still hadn't been around much, and now that Chara knew why he'd been off the grid, she wasn't really sure how to approach him. Since the first day she came into the company, Bray had been a fantastic mentor. He'd done everything he could to make Chara the best superstar possible, and guided her well. Yet, somehow, she couldn't help but to feel disappointed in him.

 _How disheartening it was_ , she thought, _to find out that even Bray Wyatt had demons that he didn't want to address_. She didn't know if it necessarily bothered her that he'd been distant, allowing her to basically fend for herself for the past week or so. But what definitely bothered her was that she looked up to him, envious of how well he kept himself together. Happy that, despite his success, he was able to balance an actual relationship. All only to find out that he was busy with another woman on the side.

 _How fucked up was that? Everything he encouraged me not to do, he was doing in his spare time!_ Chara thought grimly. Sami and Chara had sworn to one another that they'd never speak another word of what they'd seen to anyone. But unfortunately, it was only a matter of time before JoJo and Bray would be outed. Things simply never stayed quiet for long...

Chara's confusing emotions were keeping her up late the past few nights. The talk she'd had with AJ a few nights ago still frustrated her. Knowing that Sami was going to propose, only to find his hopeful fiancee on her knees in front of AJ Styles. And Baron Corbin, whatever he was doing, hadn't responded to any of her texts for God knows how long. She was doing her best to avoid Nikki Bella and Natalya, not wanting to be confronted again. She was equipped with plenty of knowledge, but now she couldn't help but feel like she was just as alone as when she'd first been called to the WWE.

Anyways, the late nights were taking a toll on her body, and she hoped she could perform to the levels she was capable of.

"Hey, Chara," Sami Zayn approached her, hopping up next to her perch. She sideways took a glance at him, wondering why he thought it was acceptable to just jump up and speak to her. After all, they hadn't connected any further since they saw Bray and JoJo. So, the fact that he was acting like he had every right to act like her friend was kind of baffling. She wanted to say something, but she was really trying to contain herself. She wanted to say something rude so badly, but thought better of it.

"Nervous for tonight?" he asked, grinning at his ex-girlfriend as though things were as normal as possible.

"Very," she admitted. "Luckily, I met up with Dean and Renee this morning to practice the 'Dirty Deeds' maneuver a thousand times over. I think I've even got the little swing down that Dean does when when he executes it."

"You'll be great out there. You always are," Sami gave her a meaningful smile, and Chara quirked her eyebrow. Something was off here, and she wasn't sure what. He was being a little _too_ nice.

"Why are you all smiley and shit?" she finally asked, not censoring herself.

"Well, Chara, you certainly are an artist with your words. But to be honest-" but before Sami could fully respond, a petite little blonde girl came strutting down the hall with Natalya, quickly making plans for Nat to show up at the Performance Center later in the week to help her train. She was cute, certainly; but the way she carried herself seemed very arrogant. Almost like she thought she was better than everyone else.

 _Mandy Rose._

"That's Mandy," she said quietly, full of spite. She'd forgotten that Sami was even next to her. Sami confirmed that, and Mandy still was too busy with Natalya than to notice Sami and Chara talking on top of the prop tote.

Either that, or she was ignoring them. Come to think of it, that was more likely.

"See, the thing is, she kind of just showed up here. I haven't had a chance to talk to her about...well, you," a look of concern crossed his face. He spoke hushed enough that there was no way she would be able to hear him. "I don't think she knows the entire story, and I'm not really ready for her to know. So, if you can just maybe not throw me under the bus, I'd really appreciate it."

Chara turned to look at him, appalled. A surge of emotions was going through her head. She wasn't sure if she could bite her tongue.

"First of all, Sammers, if she really cared, she could find all the reports in the world about us just by a few keystrokes on Google," she kept her tone low and flat, trying her hardest not to lay into Sami and lash out like she really wanted to. "Why even tell me she's here at all? Don't you have a TV show to go film? Some of us have a key point in the main event," she looked away from him, being a bitter bitch like usual.

 _So much for attempting to contain myself._

"Oh hey, there's Chara," Natalya commented, and Chara turned to look down at both the blondes. The first thought about Mandy Rose upon seeing her so close was that she looked super _fake._ Nothing that Sami would have ever had interest in a few years ago. At least, she didn't think so.

"Hi," Chara gave a lame little wave, trying hard to force a smile. Both women greeted her, and Natalya gave a quick synopsis of the Sister Abigail character.

"You are like, sooo lucky," Mandy smiled. Her bleached white teeth were perfectly aligned, and Chara wondered if they were even real. "What an honor to play such a crucial character, especially with no experience."

Chara was about ready to leap down and find out if those teeth were real after all. One good, solid knock to the mouth would be enough to shut up the stupid bitch. _No experience? What the_ fuck _does she know?_

"Oh, Chara actually used to work for TNA. She's got loads of experience," Natalya must've noticed the fire in Chara's eyes. Sami said nothing, still awkwardly sitting next to Chara. Chara fleetingly thought about pushing him off the edge to send him crashing to the floor.

"Oh, right," Mandy said, clearly losing interest in the conversation. "Sami, can you show me where catering is? I'm _so_ thirsty," she pulled her long, blonde hair over her shoulders, dismissing Chara's existence at all.

"Yeah, of course," Sami jumped down. Quickly, he joined both the women as they headed away from Chara. He directed Mandy in the right direction, offering a look of sympathy Chara's way when Mandy was engaged in conversation with Natalya once more. With both their backs turned, Chara rolled her eyes, offering a middle finger to the pair even though they couldn't see it.

"Saw that," the familiar drawl was enough to make her jump and her heart to melt all at the same time.

"Yeah, well, she just told me that it must be an honor to play such an important character without any experience," Chara reiterated the portion of the conversation that had really pissed her off. "What a C-U-Next Tuesday."

AJ chuckled. "A what?"

Chara smiled in response. "It's a Kesha song. That girl is a straight-up cunt." Normally, she wouldn't use such a derogatory term, but Chara was actually certain that this Mandy Rose knew more than she was letting on. "Let's be serious. No inexperienced moron would be allowed to step into the ring and perform with the likes of Bray Wyatt. Or you, for that matter."

"You're right, but she doesn't strike me as the type to sit down and watch a wrestling show. She probably doesn't have any idea what's going on as far as storylines go," AJ was seemingly comforting her. "Anyways, I know you've got to get your hair curled up and whatever it is you women do, but I gotta tell you something real important. Mind if I join you?"

Chara shrugged in response. How much could her heart take in a twenty minute span? She was about to find out.

AJ jumped up into the same spot Sami had just been in. His hand brushed her thigh on his way up, causing her to shiver. Her body seemed to react to AJ even though she didn't want it to. She cursed inwardly.

"Sorry," AJ offered a quick apology, a bit of a blush forming on the apples of his cheeks.

"It's fine. You've done more," she responded, looking away from him.

"Chara, seriously. Knock it off," AJ warned her. "This is important. I was talkin' to Nikki Bella before about something. And listen, I know you've got no reason to believe a word that's coming outta my mouth, but hear me out."

"If it's about that stupid show, I'm not going to do it. Although to spite Sami's girlfriend, maybe I ought to re-think that," Chara concluded quickly. "You don't need to worry. Part of me wants to, but the rational part of me knows better. No, I was already embarrassed enough by you and Sami. Why would I purposely sign up for another round of that?"

"I said, knock it off," AJ's tone fluctuated a bit, annoyance prevalent. "I don't think you should do the show, 'cause I think you're smarter than that. You don't need it, and you'll get plenty of money based off from your ability alone. You really don't need to worry about any of that."

"Thanks, AJ. Didn't realize you were now doing free financial consultations," Chara spat back.

"No, but I'm going to offer you free relationship advice," he responded. "As a friend, I'm asking you...please, don't get involved with Baron Corbin."

Chara scoffed. "A friend? I didn't realize that friends stabbed each other in the back. Or slept together, for that matter. And you're right, I won't believe a single word that's coming out of your mouth. Because you forget...when you fuck off to Georgia, back to your pretty little wife and family, some of us are still struggling to get a damn _date._ "

"Char...if I would have known then what I know now, things would be a lot different. I think you know that," AJ said slowly, his bright blue eyes boring into hers. Her heart was doing gymnastics moves in response. "I did love you, and I was crushed by you. Looking back, I bet you thought your relationship with Zayn actually was over. I'm so sorry."

Chara's mouth dropped in response. It was everything she wanted to hear, and yet she still couldn't believe the Phenomenal AJ Styles would apologize at all. She'd decided, a long time ago, that she needed to accept the apology that she never got. But now that she was hearing it one-on-one, she almost wondered if she'd ever be able to fully accept it. She could feel a tiny little tear trickle down her cheek.

"Oh, no, no, don't start that," AJ rubbed her shoulder lightly, trying to be comforting. "I'm happy that I have found someone to fall in love with, even after I never thought I could. I do want the same for you. But again, it's not going to be Baron Corbin. And if it's not Sami, well, that's his goddamn loss. I think you two really have a good shot at working things out. You just need to learn how to let people back into your lives. Or let them in at all."

"Why? So I can get fucked over?" Chara choked back a sob. "I never expected to see you again, let alone here. And every time I see you now, a thousand memories come rushing back. I don't know how to ever move past that."

AJ enveloped her into an awkward side hug. He took a quick glance around to make sure nobody was around to get photo evidence of them. The last thing he needed was online blogs or news sources making up a story that wasn't actually there.

"I know it's hard. I think about that red dress all the time. The one from the benefit ball...and you looked so beautiful that night. I know you will be happy again, but you really need to forgive yourself, too. I thought this was going to be a whole lot worse with you here. I thought drama and chaos was going to rain down on the locker room. But, you've really managed to stay professional, given the shitty situation. You've grown so much. I'm really proud of you," AJ's thoughts seemed random and rushed. And while he intended to make Chara feel better, she couldn't stop the tears from escaping.

 _He remembered that dress. That night._

"If I could go back in time, we'd have gotten it right between us. But I can't," AJ consoled her once more. "And honestly, part of me will always love you. I hope we can put any animosity aside and be friends again."

Chara felt her heart being crushed. She hadn't had the "let's be friends" talk in so long. It was just like high school. Somehow, it was still painful to hear. And to hear AJ throw around the 'l word'! Obviously, she knew that her chances with AJ Styles were far out the window. After all, he was married nowadays. What did she expect?

Yet, was that reason enough for her to try rekindling things with Sami? She wasn't sure. Especially now that he was dating some bimbo. She'd ruined his life once, and if he was really happy with this dumb Mandy chick, she shouldn't be meddling in that.

"I still love you," she said quietly, peeking up at him through her eyelashes, pushing her glasses to the top of her head so she could properly wipe her eyes.

"I know," AJ sucked air between his teeth. "So, for the last time. Not Baron Corbin for you, Chara."

"But why not?" she sighed. "We've gotten along really, really well and-"

"Maybe. But he's already with someone. In fact, he's supposed to be a father pretty soon here."

Chara couldn't hide the shocked expression on her face. "You're lying," she flat-out stated. "You put me on this big, emotion-ridden roller-coaster to make sure I don't start chumming with some guy that you don't like. That's cruel. And low, AJ, even for you." With finality, she hopped down from her spot on the tote, refusing to glance at Styles anymore.

"Come on..." AJ tried to continue, but she walked straight down the hall.

* * *

 _No Mercy 2016: the main event_

Dean Ambrose was just about to win. AJ Styles was outside of the ring, having taken a nasty 'Attitude Adjustment' on the ring apron. Ambrose had caught a showboating Cena with a 'Dirty Deeds,' and he was getting ready for the cover. But then, the lights dimmed.

The whispers grew uncomfortably loud. The crowd started to whoop, and they knew what was coming up. They knew that those awful, paranormal whispers meant Sister Abigail was here. The lights were dark, and Bray's "fireflies" began lighting up the crowd. The guy working the sound system plugged a girlish laugh. But, when the lights came up, the crowd was clearly confused. Dean Ambrose stood in the center of the ring, awaiting whoever it was that would be attacking him. Cena was still down, and AJ was crawling to his knees out near the announce table. The referee had been knocked down, too; but Sister Abigail was nowhere in site.

Dean stood on the ropes, urging Abby to head down the ramp. "Come on, Abigail. I ain't afraid of no ghosts!" he yelled, the cameras catching the frustration in his voice. When nobody appeared from behind the curtains, he gave a small, psychotic laugh.

"That's what I thought," he brushed off the event, turning to do some more work on Cena. He went for the cover quickly. The referee got up from the face-down position, slowly. An evil, awful smile spread across her face.

It was Sister Abigail. Instead of the heavy cloak she'd worn in the past, she had somehow managed to replace the referee. Donning a black and white striped shirt and ill-fitting slacks, she laughed maniacally as Dean's expression turned from shock to panic in a few short seconds.

He took a step towards her, and Sister Abigail caught him quickly, mirroring Dean's 'Dirty Deeds' finisher. After he was hit, the lights went back out.

And the regular referee was standing in the corner, acting confused. Like he'd just been transported to the ring via aliens or something.

With John Cena still out of the picture, AJ quickly scurried into the ring to retain his belt. He did so with a calf crusher, in which Dean Ambrose tapped out to almost immediately.

"And your winner tonight, via submission, and still your WWE Champion...AJ Styyyyyles!" JoJo smiled into her microphone as the confused referee held up the Georgian's hand in victory. Chara crouched under the ring, listening to the ending of the match.

Bray Wyatt must have appeared, because the crowd got loud. Like, _really_ loud. A few loud stomps above her head, and she could tell that Bray was kicking AJ's ass. The crowd was loving in, and almost as quickly as it had started, the noise above stopped. He'd been hit with Bray's finisher, and was out.

"You say you're phenomenal. But me? I've got the whole world in my hands, AJ. And in my world, you lose. And you will lose over, and over again," Bray's words rung through the now stunned-silent arena. "What happens when phenomenal meets paranormal? Because in my world, the paranormal likes to be...unleashed." Bray dropped the microphone to the mat, a loud thud sounding overhead. Another thud hit above her, and she guessed Bray was now on his knees, hands spread wide with his head tipped back.

"Follow...the buzzards!"


	18. Sleep

**More? Yessss.**

* * *

 _October 10, 2016: the day after the pay-per-view  
_

Chara was grateful for the down-time the following day. Her head was still kind of groggy. Between the excitement, fuckin' Mandy Rose, and AJ Styles giving her a half-hearted warning, she looked forward to a day off. Plus, she was able to stay in the same place for two nights and wouldn't have to travel again until the next day.

The little things in life.

She also looked forward to spending a little bit of time with Bray, who still hadn't been around much lately. They had planned to train for awhile today, and Bray had told her he had a "big surprise" for her. Chara had an idea of what this surprise was.

She'd heard rumors that the fourth member of their faction had been medically cleared to return to action, and would probably do so on Smackdown this week. She had a feeling that person would join them in the gym. It would be the first time she would meet Luke Harper, and she hoped that his inclusion would make her feel like less of a third wheel. As far as their role on the show went, adding another Wyatt family member was going to make them unstoppable. She looked forward to strengthening their storylines.

Glancing at her phone, she realized she was supposed to meet Bray at the hotel's tiny gym in just a few minutes. She pulled on her favorite running shoes, quickly grabbing her phone, key card, and earbuds before heading out the door of her room. With each short step, she idly wondered if she should ask Bray about his absence. After all, they were a team. He didn't have to tell her about JoJo Offerman, but she really wanted Bray to know it had been a struggle without his guidance.

She found the exercise room fairly quickly. There was a tired old treadmill in one corner, a few stationary bikes, an eliptical, and an old, scratched set of weights. Bray wasn't there yet, so she started to stretch as she waited. Finding her workout playlist, Chara smiled as "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence began playing through her earbuds.

The song was nearly all the way through when Erick Rowan found his way into the room. He greeted her courteously, and she gave him a small wave before jumping on one of the bikes. Bray followed him, looking haggard. He clearly hadn't slept well. His normally cheery expression was replaced by one that was full of pain. Had she missed something?

"Chara," he greeted her, causing her to jump. She pulled out her earbuds, making careful eye contact with him.

"What's up, brother Bray?" she tried to make him smile, but to no avail. Instead, he gave a small shrug before heading towards the weights.

"Thank you for a great performance last night," he said, lifting up a mid-sized barbell before selecting one size larger. "I know it's been tough these past few weeks. Nice plant on Dean, too. You never disappoint."

"Thanks," she smiled, grateful that he was praising her. But she also found herself worried...why _was_ he praising her? Was she about to get the boot?

"I wanted to talk to you about the next two weeks or so. I wanted to tell you firsthand that I won't be on the show tomorrow night. Probably not next week, either. I've filmed some short clips, which probably Brian James will go over with you before the show tomorrow. The Family will still be busy while I'm away, so you don't have to worry about that. And, as a matter of fact, Luke Harper will be returning to the show tomorrow night. The three of you will wreak havoc while I'm gone. We'll keep our characters strong, and we'll head into later pay-per-views with full force."

Chara quirked her eyebrow, slowing her speed on her bike. "Is everything okay?" she inquired. "Are you...are you injured or something?"

Bray gave her a sorrowful smile. "I am injured. But in a different way, than physically so. I've got to head home for a while. There's a lot of paperwork there that I haven't been able to tend to. And I've got to."

"Oh...um. I'm sorry," Chara offered, trying not to appear as confused as she actually was. "I was actually going to say that I feel like you haven't been around much lately. But it really seems like you've got a lot on your mind, and so I understand."

Bray gave her a short glance, his mouth pressing into a thin line. It was almost as though he wanted to say something, but didn't know how to. "It's true that I've got a lot going on. You'll understand soon. In the meantime, Luke and Erick will continue to guide you while I'm not here. Just stay out of trouble, alright?"

"Of course," she replied, increasing the speed on her bike once again.

"When I return, then, I'll be back as I have been. As I am now isn't good for a mentor to you, Chara. And I haven't been much of a partner towards you, Erick. I apologize for that.

"Unfortunately, I've got to catch a plane very soon, so this will be a short session for me. My apologies." Bray placed the weight that he'd been shifting between hands back in the hold. He gave one more meek smile before heading towards the door. Erick nodded in his general direction, choosing not to say anything at all. Chara had a gut feeling that he knew more than he was letting on.

So, naturally, as soon as Bray had exited and was far down the hallway back to his own room, Chara went in for the kill.

"Alright, Erick, I know more than you think I do. What the hell is going on with him?" she inquired, watching him carefully as he began to jog on the weathered treadmill.

"Don't know nothing, sweetheart," he replied, changing the incline. "If you have questions, maybe you should direct them at Bray. I don't want to make things worse than they already are by commenting on things that I don't know about."

Chara halted her workout completely at that. "As I said. I already know more than you think that I do. Bray's been slowly disappearing into the background. I know something is going on with him, and I know he's been seeing the ring announcer, JoJo, behind everyone's back. Sooooo," she drawled out the final word, catching the look of surprise that Erick shot her, "I know more than you think. Isn't Bray married?"

Finally, Erick Rowan caved. He gave a very exasperated sigh, admitting he knew a little about what was going on.

"I hate gossiping. But, this morning, a couple websites caught some very revealing evidence between Bray and JoJo." Erick scrolled through something on his phone, and he found whatever he was looking for. He walked over to where Chara had been questioning him, allowing the treadmill to continue despite no longer being on it.

Sure enough, there was a very incriminating photo taken of the lovebirds. It was very clearly JoJo standing alongside her kayfabe brother, her face questioning at whoever was taking the photo. They stood as the trunk of his black rental SUV was opening, preparing to leave the show together. The post had been shared thousands of times, and hundreds of people commented on the evidence that there was shady things going on behind the scenes. The things they said about JoJo made Chara's heart hurt. Had they said such awful things about _her?_

"To answer your question, yes. Yes, Bray's married. He's heading home because his wife has run JoJo's name through the mud, and he wants to file some lawsuits in order to keep her quiet. He's also going to visit with a divorce attorney."

Chara gave a small gasp. "I didn't know it had gotten so serious," she admitted. "I saw him...I mean, I saw him and JoJo after a show. I never told anyone because it wasn't my place. Especially being with the company for so short of time. I never realized it had gotten to the point of getting divorced. But, after seeing him today, I can tell he's a wreck. He hasn't slept, that's clear."

Erick gave a tiny laugh. "How do you sleep when you ruin someone's life? Don't get me wrong, because Bray has done wonders for my career. But I'm shocked. Disappointed. But then again, this is a strange business. People cheat on their loved ones all the time. Relationships are formed out of convenience. 'Friends with benefits' isn't a thing of the teenage years anymore. I guess I just thought that Bray was different," Chara noted that Erick seemed to blush at the admission. Especially since this was probably the most in-depth conversation she'd had with her other family member. Although they didn't know each other extremely well, it was an odd bonding moment. They'd both been let down by their mentor.

"I'm in no position to comment on someone's morals," Chara admitted after a long silence. "I mean, everyone knows that I have a messy link to Sami Zayn and AJ Styles. But it sucks, because as pure as I thought Bray was...as much as I idolized him, I couldn't help but be disappointed after finding out about his affair. I was kind of jealous that he was able to maintain a real relationship outside of the business. As it turns out, I was wrong."

Erick nodded. "I guess we both were."

* * *

 _October 11, 2016: 12:23 AM  
_

Why had Chara thought that going down to the bar was a good idea, again?

As it turned out, the hotel she was staying at also hosted a local bar and restaurant. Although most her colleagues had other plans for the evening, she didn't. So, she ventured down to the dingy, ill-lit bar connected to the lower level. Still, they had happy hour all night long 'til bar close. She wasn't much of a drinker, but the way the past week had gone...well, maybe she could have a few. She had asked Erick if he was interested in joining her, but he said he had plans to Facetime his family back home.

 _So, here I am...all by my lonesome._

There weren't many people there. She signed approximately two autographs since arriving there a bit over an hour ago, and both people asked if she could sign her name as "Sister Abigail." She admittedly had a tough time doing that; she hadn't had any practice yet. Sure, she'd been sent a package from Topps trading cards last week, asking her to sign nearly two hundred stickers as "Sister Abigail" for the 2017 Women's Revolution cards they'd be selling. Chara hadn't gotten around to doing that. She was just happy they hadn't asked her to do those treacherous "kiss" cards.

She was on her third drink, feeling a little bit fuzzy. Feeling oddly...courageous. And in that spark of fearlessness, she finally decided to text Baron Corbin. He'd made himself scarce after being called out by AJ. Maybe she could get him to talk.

 _Down at the hotel bar. WYD?_

The response buzzed on the bar countertop almost instantly. That was a good sign.

 _ **Not shit. Want a friend?**_

 _You know it.  
_

 ** _Your little guardian around?_**

Chara snorted lightly at the text, knowing full-well he was referring to AJ Styles. The bartender turned, and she apologized quickly.

 _No chaperones tonight._

 ** _See you in a few._**

When the bartender wasn't looking her way, she quickly adjusted her bra to make her boobs sit just a little bit higher. She also smoothed her hair quickly, wishing she hadn't been so lazy after her workout. Instead, her hair was piled on her head in a messy bun. Her clothes? Well, it wasn't exactly sexy per say; but it'd do.

She took a deep breath, anticipation overwhelming her. What was she going to say?

She couldn't look near the entrance. She was so nervous that she'd probably vomit on the floor as soon as Baron walked in. So, she kept her head straight forward, fiddling with the sleeves of her maroon sweatshirt.

"There you are, Abby," Baron's smooth voice was right behind her, and she must've visibly jumped, because he'd laughed at her.

"Here I am," she affirmed. She noticed that he smelled like tobacco and aftershave, and it was kind of intoxicating. He was such a rough-looking guy, and in comparison to any other man she'd had interest in before, _very_ different. Although, she hadn't had any luck with her regular type, so who knew?

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing all by herself at the hotel bar?" he asked, sliding on to the stool next to her. She hadn't thought about that. She supposed she looked like a complete lame-ass with no friends. Well, at least it was true.

"Searching for Prince Charming, of course. And look, you showed up!" she smiled widely, trying to show him that she was only trying to joke with him. He smiled but didn't laugh.

"I'm no Prince Charming, Chara," he said after a short pause. His voice dragged a little bit, and it almost felt like Chara was going to hear that he wanted to halt contact with her altogether. "I'm more or less Mufasa from the _Lion King._ " He smiled now, like he'd just told a great joke. Chara twisted her mouth.

"Why Mufasa?"

"Because he's the serious ruler of Pride Rock. The King, if you will," he replied.

"But Mufasa gets screwed over by Scar, and dies in a stampede," Chara pointed out.

"Only because he was stupid enough to trust him," Baron Corbin countered immediately. Chara nodded in response, taking a short sip of her rum and Coke. Baron motioned for the bartender to head his way, and he quickly ordered himself a beer. He also ordered Chara another, to which he said he'd buy for her.

She worried she was going to get blasted. But then, what else did she really have better to do than sit and get drunk with Baron Corbin?

They talked a little longer about Disney before they started talking about work. Baron Corbin told her how impressive she'd been, and that her role with the Wyatt family was an entirely new kick to the "Women's Revolution" that so many fans had been begging for.

"I look forward to seeing what you can do in the ring. Judging by your execution of other's moves, I bet your own moveset is impressive."

Chara smiled. "I mean, I've worked really hard to master my moveset. So it's been kind of sad that I'm only allotted a short bit of time to show off. I'm sure eventually I'll be in a real match. Until then, I'm just really happy to be here."

"Who would you like to be in a match with the most?" Baron inquired.

Chara thought about that. She'd always pictured herself squaring off against the leader of the "Diva" era, Nikki Bella. But she wasn't certain if she wanted to go that route, given that Nikki was with John Cena. She had heard that simply because of her boyfriend, she would go over any other woman on the roster. So, the potential that Nikki Bella would "bury" her was pretty likely.

"Mickie James," she said finally. "She was my best friend. _Is_ my best friend," she corrected.

"Interesting choice. I'd like to toe up with AJ Styles," Baron admitted, watching Chara carefully. She forced herself not to bristle at the name drop.

"And why AJ?"

"Because, he's overrated, overhyped TNA garbage. And, because he got to sleep with _you_." Chara nearly spit out the drink that she had in her mouth.

" _Excuse me?_ " she replied, unsure if she'd heard him correctly.

"I mean, that's what I've heard, anyways," he replied. "There's no secrets in the locker room."

Chara eyed him suspiciously. Where was he heading with this? But instead of back down to the sudden mean-streak he'd grown, she agreed. "No, there really aren't any secrets after all."

She'd hoped that the tidbit of information that AJ Styles told her wasn't true. She prayed that he wasn't keeping women on the side while he had a baby on the way. Not only was that just a scum thing to do, but she didn't want to be considered the "other woman." The way that she'd wrecked lives before had kept her quite careful. Plus, the way that she'd seen people reacting online to JoJo and Bray's affair hardly had her interested in shacking up with someone who was in a steady relationship.

"Good thing that if anyone were to talk shit about me, they wouldn't be able to talk at all. After I punched their teeth back to their throats," Baron affirmed, using graphic imagery.

"You..you go ahead and do that, then," Chara responded lamely, finishing her drink. She was feeling woozy. She probably should stop now. She pushed her drink towards the bartender. When he came by to grab it, Baron told him to refill it. Chara shot him a warning glare.

"What's wrong? Can't hold your liquor?" he mocked her. "Come on. It's on me."

"I...you already got me one," she responded. "I don't want to make an idiot of myself." She noted that he hadn't finished his first yet. And this was her fourth. No, wait...fifth.

"By hopping into bed with AJ Styles, sweetcheeks, you've already made an idiot of yourself," Baron's tone was even and vengeful. "I don't know who he thinks he is, running his mouth. But he's got a date with my fist."

"Why do you care?" Chara wondered out loud. "AJ was my trainer. That was so, so long ago. And I was blacklisted from the business because of it. I'm lucky to be here at all."

"I care because I should have what he has," Baron responded smoothly. "He was brought into this company and forced. He came from a shitty promotion...so what, exactly, did he do to earn that title? What have I done wrong? I'm homegrown. I've done everything right. I've worked through the ranks. And still, it isn't enough to surpass the fuckin' "Phenomenal" moron. What am I missing, Chara?"

"I...I don't know," she took a sip at the drink, making a sour face. She didn't know if she could handle drinking the entire thing. This one was super-strong.

"Yeah, me either," he responded darkly. "And then, there's you. He had you, and he lost you. Yet he's got the balls to tell me to fuck off? How is that right?"

Chara didn't respond to that question.

"Whatever dumb shit he said about me, Chara, it isn't true," Baron Corbin murmured, placing his large hand on her lower back. He rubbed it tenderly, causing a small shiver as a response. She bit her lip nervously, realizing that he had taken an actual interest in her. That was something she hadn't expected. She wondered if he was hoping to take the conversation elsewhere. And, at that...was he going to ask her for more?

She got panicky, unsure if she was ready for what was surely going to happen.

"Why don't you finish that, and we'll head up to my room?" he leaned in, his breath hot on her ear. "I'll make you forget that AJ Styles even exists."

* * *

The next few moments were super unclear. How long had she been awake? Had she fallen asleep? She couldn't remember leaving the hotel bar.

Chara kept fading in and out. She was drunk. Yes, she was super drunk. And she was beginning to black out. She walked slowly, marveling as Baron Corbin helping her down the hallway, keeping her propped up with his strong, muscular shoulders. She recalled him pressing her against a hotel wall, kissing her harshly and letting his hands wander up her sweatshirt. She was pinned, and although she felt like she could fall asleep, he still kept at it. His hands wandered over her lace bra. His hands traced the curve of her hips. Tugged at the band of her jeans.

"I can't wait 'til I can get inside of you," Baron breathed, the evidence of his desire glaringly obvious. If she'd been more sober, she would've commented. Instead, she muttered an inaudible reply. Baron laughed.

"Here, Chara, let's take a picture for the world to see. I'm sure the management would love to see that! Another TNA reject, thrown into fantastic storylines without any reason. Won't AJ be proud of you?" Baron Corbin turned the camera towards her. She couldn't keep her eyes open.

"Yeah, they'll love knowing that you're just a little whore," he muttered. "And after I'm through with you, that's exactly what _everyone_ will think. And I'll be sure of it. If I can't ruin AJ, at least I can ruin you. That's the closest that I've got."

With that, he shuffled through his pants, looking for his key.

"Yeah, I don't think so," a familiar voice said.

With that, she remembered seeing Baron Corbin crumple to the floor. Chara followed suit, succumbing to the sleep that had entrapped her.


	19. Destruction

**More? Yessss.**

* * *

 _October 11, 2016: 2:49 AM  
_

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," AJ Styles grumbled as he slapped his phone down on the hotel table. He'd called everyone and anyone who was someone. He supposed most people were sleeping at this hour, and normally, he would be sleeping, too. So it wasn't necessarily a surprise that he couldn't get a hold of any of the WWE officials.

Still, that didn't stop him from leaving voice messages for Hunter, Shane, and Stephanie. He had called Bray. He called Nikki Bella, not knowing what else to do. Daniel Bryan had gone home to Brie. What else could he do? Vince McMahon was a busy guy. Certainly, he wouldn't want to hear about one of his top guys being knocked out on a dreary, stained carpeted hallway in a shitty-ass motel. Yet, AJ was desperate. He'd even reached out to fuckin' Sami Zayn, for Christ's sake.

His ex-whatever was completely blacked out on the bed of his hotel room, her breathing finally steady. She'd been waking up on and off, but she hadn't been able to hold a conversation. She couldn't keep her damned eyes open. Shit, she didn't even recognize where _she_ was or who _he_ was. She hadn't tried to move yet, but she had been making awful wet, choking sounds while she faded in and out. What the hell was wrong with her?

Luckily, AJ had been watching her at the hotel bar earlier. He'd considered approaching her, but thought better of it. He'd seen a few people ask her for autographs, and if people recognized Chara, they would certainly recognize AJ Styles. The tabloids would go crazy if they were seen together again. He wasn't ready for that risk. Things at home were beginning to become strained as it was. If his wife read about his hanging out with Chara, she'd certainly threaten to leave him in the dust.

Not to mention, their last conversation had ended in flames.

So, he kept a watchful eye on Sister Abigail instead. AJ couldn't help but notice how well she'd aged over the past few years. She was no longer a small, flirty little girl. She was beautiful, and she didn't even have to try to be. She'd turned a few patrons' heads upon walking into the bar area, including the barkeep. But she was far too deep in her own world to even see them.

She had been busy, anyways. Because apparently, Chara hadn't heeded his warning about Baron Corbin.

 _And look where that had gotten her!_ AJ wanted to yell.

Regardless, his heart had dropped when Corbin emerged through the door earlier in the evening, keeping his head down so as to not be noticed. Chara's face lit up when she'd seen him. AJ remembered the same look she used to give him when he would meet her in the ring for training. He'd give his left arm to go back in time just so she'd look at him that way again.

Trying to hide the creeping jealousy, AJ kept his head down, too. Just in case either of those two looked over towards the dimly lit corner he'd found sanctuary in.

Whatever Chara and Baron were talking about seemed pretty intense. AJ hadn't been close enough to hear them. But whatever Baron had said to her must've been smooth, because she was ready to drop her panties for him.

Or was she? Because upon following the pair, Chara was beginning to slide down the wall, unable to stand on her own two feet. AJ had also seen Baron offer her numerous drinks back at the bar. And maybe they had been strong, but could they have been strong enough to make her completely handicapped? AJ hadn't seen anything malicious with certainty, but he still highly suspected that Baron had slipped her a date-rape drug.

AJ wondered what the Lone Wolf's reasoning behind that was. Because Chara clearly liked him, and probably would have slept with him just the same. There was more to that story, but until Chara was fully recovered, he wouldn't know it. All he knew was Baron had snidely remarked, "Won't AJ be proud?" That was enough to earn a solid fist.

Although, AJ did feel a pang of jealousy. Chara and Baron seemed to get along well. They spoke to one another with ease. They looked like they could be a real couple: Both of them were smiling and happy, a little strange, and the chemistry was obvious. But AJ also knew that Baron was putting on a fantastic facade, and he couldn't figure out why he was aiming his fucked-up game towards Chara.

AJ's thoughts were interrupted when Chara began to shift on the bed. She turned over to her side as her breathing became rapid and choked once more.

"Fuck," AJ said aloud, getting up from the chair he'd sat down in. He knelt beside the woman, her black makeup now streaked down her face. She was red and blotchy, her eyebrows furrowed. Her eyes opened for a split-second. Normally bright and lively, she looked dead and cold. She closed them almost as quickly as she'd opened them; muttering something that he couldn't understand.

Holding her clammy, hot hand in his, he stroked stray hairs from her matted, sweaty forehead as he considered his options once again. Last he'd checked, Baron Corbin had gotten his dumb ass up and out of the building. Because if he'd still been lurking around the room, AJ surely would've knocked him out all over again simply because of the state Chara had been left in. AJ wasn't sure what else he could do. As much as he didn't want to involve the local authorities, he was now strongly considering it.

"AJ..." Chara whispered, her lips chapped and dry. It was the first time she'd spoken since he'd laid her down in his room, and he was honestly surprised that she now recognized her savior.

"Shhh, you get your rest, baby girl," AJ drawled quietly as he twisted her slick, sweaty blonde and black hair back for her into a loose knot. Seeing her so broken made his heart hurt for her. Contemplating his next move once again, he began stroking her head gently. He watched her lips curl up in a small smile, his heart lurching as she did that. Ignoring the love that he still had for his former protegee, he held on to her sweaty hand as he used his other to lightly brush the apple of her cheek, stroking it gently.

 _Could've been,_ he reminded himself. Some things just weren't meant to work out. But who was he kidding? As soon as Chara had walked back into his life, all the feelings he'd worked so hard to lose returned like a bang; and it felt like he'd been zapped with a flash of lightning.

"Do we ever get to be together?" she spoke up after a long silence. "You know, like in the fairytales?"

AJ twisted his face in shock, having been certain she'd fallen back asleep. Had she really just said that? And, should he even respond? Because at this point, she should know the answer. They were meant to be, and they both knew that. But they did it wrong.

 _If only_.

Chara opened and closed her eyes, clearly unsure if she was where she thought she was. Now, her breathing began slowing once again. However, her breaths were shallow and raspy, and he was afraid to leave her side.

A small snore escaped her, and the panicked feeling he'd felt for a moment escaped him.

He gave her a small kiss on the forehead, his stomach churning and heart heavy.

"It's not the end of the story yet," he responded gently. But she hadn't heard him.

* * *

 _Two hours later_

"I swear to you, Styles, this better be good," Sami Zayn grumbled as he entered the room, arms crossed. "I don't know where you get off trying to get my help at five in the morning. What could you possibly need from me?"

AJ rubbed his temples, the lack of sleep beginning to irritate him. He needed to lay down, but he couldn't risk leaving Chara Wright to breathe on her own. For the last hour, she kept trying to turn on to her back. After she'd vomited pretty much her entire week's worth of meals just an hour ago, he began to fear that she'd choke on her own bile in her sleep. He'd been keeping an eye on her instead, forcing his own eyes to stay open.

Sami halted upon seeing Chara, who looked absolutely awful now. She was pale, slick with perspiration, and clearly sick to her stomach.

"What did you _fucking_ do to her?!" Sami shouted, running his hands through his hair. He circled near Chara's feet before beginning to charge towards AJ, his hands clenched at his sides. He was beginning to grow red in the face, the frustration and anger upon seeing his ex-girlfriend in such a horrible state concerning him.

"What did _I_ do?" AJ stepped towards his rival. He had no reason to dislike Sami; and in fact, the only reason they didn't like each other was laying on his bed right now. "Try again, bud. _I'm_ the reason Chara is in here and not splattered all over the internet like a drunken idiot. Talk to Baron Corbin if you want to know why she looks like she came out of her coffin."

Sami pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly unsure of how to approach the conversation. "Is that supposed to be a jab at me, Styles? I can't control what she does or with whom. You, of all people, should know that. I don't know what you expect from me. You want me to be her keeper or something?" his voice was steady and even, but AJ didn't miss the hatred laced into his words.

"No. But, isn't it funny that it's _me_ taking care of her and not _you_?" AJ countered quickly. "But that's nothing new. It's just like old times, no?" AJ then grimaced, immediately annoyed that he'd given into to Sami's clear attempt at a dick-measuring contest. He apologized, albeit hastily.

Sami shot the Phenomenal superstar a pissed look, but he didn't push it any further. Instead, he looked back down towards Chara, who had kicked off all her blankets. Kneeling down beside her, he shook his head in frustration. "Man, she looks like a complete wreck. How did this even happen?" Sami asked after putting his hand against Chara's forehead. He had made a face, acknowledging that her temperature was quickly on the rise.

AJ gave the other man a quick run-down of the night's events, trying not to notice the sting on Sami's face upon confirmation that Chara had been actively pursuing someone new. Someone that wasn't either one of them. Although mostly everyone already knew that Chara and Baron had something going on, simply because he had a big mouth. That, and everyone knew each other's business like a high school locker room.

Then again, Sami had been dating the NXT star, Amanda, for awhile now. He really had no reason to be jealous.

"She couldn't even stand up right," AJ heard himself talking. "The idiot was in her face, calling her all kinds of disgusting names. So, I took care of him and clocked him one. But, I've called everyone to explain what's happened. I've tried recruiting someone to help." AJ finished the story off. "I don't know what else to do. Hunter won't answer. Steph's on leave. Shane's...I don't know. I just don't really know. But if she gets any worse, I won't have another choice but to call the ambulance."

The redhead nodded his head, recognizing the condition she was in as potentially dangerous. "You really think he drugged her?" Sami squeezed Chara's hand, his own face now just as pale as the woman's. He had a distant look in his eyes. Sami was quite worried, and the sadness showed. It was blatantly obvious that he still held on to memories he'd shared with Chara. Maybe there was still hope for them yet after all. Maybe Zayn would change his tune about the NXT chick.

 _If these two would just get their shit together and just be together, goddamn it,_ AJ thought to himself. _Then I wouldn't feel like such a twisted, fucked-up mess every time I'm around her._

"Yeah, I really do," AJ heard himself admit. AJ felt like he was dreaming, watching himself talk but not physically or mentally in the moment.

"Look at her, man," he continued. "This isn't normal 'drunk.' This is bad...really bad. And if I hadn't been there, I don't even know what would've happened to her. Corbin's intentions weren't good, though, I can tell that much."

Sami grimaced. "She's lucky that you were around. I don't know if I could've done the same, watching her hang all over some other guy. Kudos to you for that."

AJ shrugged, pulling his hair back out of his face. "I just had a bad feeling about it, so I followed them," he stated matter-of-fact. "Baron wanted to humiliate her. Not sure how, but I imagine he had an extensive plan."

Sami lightly snorted. "Sorry," he gave a lopsided smirk. "I just have a hard time believing that good 'ol Baron could think that far ahead of the game. He doesn't exactly come off the brightest bulb, if you know what I mean."

AJ opened his mouth to return a comment, but closed it quickly. Chara had stirred again, but didn't wake. Sami got up from the knee he'd taken at her bedside, padding into the tiny bathroom. AJ heard him turn the water faucet on. The dweeby redhead came out, a starched white washcloth in his hand.

"It might cool her down a little," he replied with a shrug, although AJ hadn't asked. He gently wiped away the makeup from the side of her face, then pressed the damp cloth against her forehead. He watched Sami care for her, realizing that his eyes were literally beginning to droop. He had to get some sleep soon.

"I thought about pulling off her clothes," AJ finally stated. "I just didn't want her to wake up and think...I don't know. You know?" he was exhausted and at loss for the right words. But Sami understood exactly what he was trying to say.

"Well, it's not like it'd be the first time," Sami muttered under his breath. "But maybe we ought to. Having a sweatshirt and jeans on probably isn't helping her fever."

And, with that, they'd managed to nobly remove her clothing items. She hadn't even tried to resist. In fact, she'd been out cold through the entire process of trying to get her denim untangled from her feet. AJ sneered as he imagined how Baron Corbin would have done the exact same thing to her. He could just envision the brooding giant tearing off the woman's clothes without a second thought. Without her even _realizing_ what he was doing. He quickly chased those thoughts away. The idea that Corbin would even touch her was aggravating. Add in that she wasn't even conscious, and he wanted to punch the haggard asshole all over again.

He didn't want to think of anyone else seeing Chara like he had. So beautiful, so exposed and raw.

AJ couldn't help but notice she had gotten a new tattoo on her hip since the last time he'd seen her in such little clothing. It was a tiny little flower, and scrawled above it was a simple quote: "No rain, no flowers."

Sami caught his eye, and AJ jumped, realizing he'd been lingering on the little inked artwork just a tad too long. Sami twisted his mouth up, nodding to himself solemnly as he fluffed the woman's pillow up to make her more comfortable. Although, AJ thought, it was probably just to keep his hands busy so as to not reach across the mattress and strangle him.

"You still love her," Sami crossed his arms as he leaned back against the wall, eyeing up AJ. He tilted his head to each side, small cracks from his neck piercing through the quiet room. "I can see it. Fuck, the whole locker room can see it."

AJ sighed, pulling his hands through his hair. He'd been doing that a lot lately, especially because he was so damned frustrated most of the time. He thought about denying his feelings for the Chara, but Sami would be able to call bullshit on that immediately.

"So do you," AJ tread the water carefully. So far, they had managed to keep from ripping each other's brains from their skulls. He hoped to keep it that way.

Sami let out a small sigh. He didn't say anything for a long, long time. "Honest feelings and bad timing make the worst combination."

* * *

 _That same day: 11:02 AM_

 _Where am I? How did I even get here?_

Chara was able to open her eyes, the sunlight streaming into the room she was in. She recognized that it wasn't her own; she had a knack for pulling every item of clothing from her bags and leaving them strewn around her room. This room was tidy. Wherever she was had a clean, Irish Spring soap smell. There was also a hint of something else. A light cologne, perhaps; one that she recognized.

She attempted to sit up in the bed she was in, only to discover that she literally felt like she'd been hit by a train. That, and she was in a tank top and her panties, but that was it. Her clothes were folded up on the chair straight across the room.

She also had a bangin' ass headache. She was thirsty, and her hair was matted to the pillow she was laying on. Her eyes were sore, her legs were restless, and she just felt like shit.

She couldn't really remember much from the night before, though. The last thing she remembered was Baron Corbin coming down to meet her, but that was it. Had they had fun together? Had she come up to his room afterwards? Had they...?

But, if that were the case, she wouldn't feel like this. At least, she didn't think so. She also didn't think that this would be Baron's room. He had a masculine, rustic smell. This was all wrong.

Moving her head to one side, she tried to figure out where she'd ended up. She wished her body would cooperate; all she wanted to do was stand up and stretch.

"Hunter, I'm tellin' you, this wasn't normal. She couldn't stand up, and she's been sleeping all day. I know Baron Corbin is your chosen one and I get that. But what he was going to do to that girl..." Chara's ears perked up. She'd recognize that southern drawl from a mile away.

 _What the fuck happened last night, then? And why am I laying in AJ's bed without any clothes on?_

"Yes, and I understand that-" AJ started and stopped once again. "I called Shane because-" Chara strained to hear whatever he was talking about, but she couldn't quite make out the words.

"Yes, I'll talk to her once she wakes up. I don't think she'll remember a damned thing, though...yes, I will. If she can tell you, I'm sure she will." There was a long pause. "I'll have to reschedule that shoot for the website, then. I'll keep an eye on her. Zayn has been popping in and out all morning, too, just to make sure she's breathing right..."

 _What the fuck was going on? Was she dying? Why was Sami involved in any of this?  
_

Chara forced her eyes closed when she heard footsteps drawing near to where she was. The last thing she wanted was for AJ to catch her eavesdropping; yet she knew that whatever happened last night directly involved her and wasn't good. But the thing was, she didn't recall anything. It seemed that AJ knew more of what happened the prior evening than she did. She was probably going to get into huge trouble. She presumed that she'd made a total fool of herself last night, and somehow AJ had prevented anything terrible from happening.

But again, she couldn't really remember.

Her eyes were still closed, but she could now feel the presence of AJ standing over her. She willed her heart to slow; it was odd that her body just _knew_ that he was close by. Still faking being unconscious, she had to try her hardest not to smile when he grabbed the hand she'd tucked awkwardly under her body. He traced the skin between her thumb and pointer carefully, offering a small sigh.

It took everything in her not to peek through her eyelashes at him.

"I know..." AJ started, then stopped. She still pretended to be asleep. "I know that I should let you go. But I can't. Out of all my scars, I never thought that you'd be the deepest one." AJ's voice cracked a little at the last comment. AJ rested both elbows on the mattress next to her, and she imagined he was holding his head in his hands out of pure frustration. "I'm just afraid of losing you. And that's fucked, because you're not even mine to lose."

 _But I am!_ Chara silently screamed. _I've been yours this whole time!_

And, at that thought, AJ's phone went off, indicating he was getting a phone call.

"Hey, babe," he answered. A woman's panicked voice rang through the silence, though she couldn't hear the words she was saying. "I...what? How do you even know about that? No, I wasn't trying to hide that...it's totally irrelevant to my life now..." AJ's voice disappeared back into the bathroom, where Chara couldn't hear the conversation at all anymore. She inwardly cursed, knowing that AJ just was trying not to wake her. Little did he know, Chara had heard everything.

And it was a painful reminder, in fact, that he still had someone a million miles away. Feeling like she'd been stabbed in the heart all over again, she forced her eyes shut to keep the tears from squeaking out of the corners of her eyes.

It was amazing how much destruction one person could cause.


	20. Hacked

**Hmmm...so what's next? Thank you to all who have reviewed. It is extremely motivating.  
**

* * *

 _October 11, 2016: 4:32 PM  
_

The next time Chara woke up, the curtains of the hotel room were already drawn. She stretched her hands high above her head, happy to note that she didn't feel like there were hundreds of bricks on top of her body. She didn't feel good, necessarily; but her body was functional and alive.

Slowly, she sat up in bed. Her stomach was in knots. Maybe she was hungry. But then, the thought of food made her head swirl.

Maybe not.

She craned her neck around the room, trying to see if anyone else was there. She remembered AJ being with her earlier. He'd also told her some deep, dark feelings he'd been holding on to. Although, she couldn't really decipher if that had actually happened. She'd been in a fog, and that could have very well been a hopeful dream.

She didn't see or hear anyone, so she slowly swung her legs around to the other side of the bed. She wanted a goddamn shower. Her legs were wobbly at first, much like what she looked like while wearing high heels. She trudged her way to the tiny bathroom, and tried to maneuver the hot water. Not that it was an easy task; of course. Each faucet was different in these hotel rooms, and she usually stood there naked and shivering trying to figure them out. Today, she'd thought ahead, and remained clothed until the water was going.

Stripping out of her damp, smelly camisole and tossing her underwear to the side, she stepped under the stream of hot water blasting from the shower head. The feeling was a welcomed one, and instantly, she felt a million times better than she had moments ago.

Feeling around for the tiny bottles of shampoo and conditioner left by the housing staff, she froze when she heard the bathroom door slowly creak open. She stupidly considered it to be Mickie James. After all, the same scene had happened just a few months ago. But she scolded herself mentally. She knew damn well that Mickie was busy toeing up to Asuka down at Full Sail University for now.

Maybe she was about to get jumped by a totally insane, psychotic fan. Maybe she was about to get murdered.

"Chara? Are you alright?" a voice rang through the room, causing a tiny bit of an echo. She partially expected it to be AJ's voice. Admittedly, she was disappointed that it wasn't. Instead, it was an all-too-familiar voice belonging to Sami Zayn.

"What the fuck, Sami? Yes, I'm alright. You just scared me is all," she breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Sorry," he apologized quickly. "AJ just went out for a bit. He asked me to swing by and see if you were awake yet."

"Why does he care?" Chara whined, instantly running out of the tiny amount of shampoo that had been in the bottle. "And, also, since when are you guys buddies?"

"You aren't serious, are you?" Sami muttered. "Honestly, woman. You're impossible. And I guess we can get along fine, if it entails keeping you alive."

Chara laughed lightly. "I don't think I was going to die, Generico. Get real."

Sami made a coughing sound, as though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Apparently, Chara-coal, we've got a lot to talk about."

Chara cracked the glass sliding door just enough to peek around it, glaring at the redhead. She clicked her tongue. "Remember when you told me, back when we were thrown into a godawful experience with the cast of _Total Divas_ , that we had a lot to talk about? I think it's time that we do."

Sami shifted uncomfortably, watching beads of water drip onto the linoleum floor as she hung her head out the shower.

"Right now?" he asked, casting his eyes away from her. "You're like..."

"Right now," she cut him off. "Apparently, there's a thousand things for us to talk about, except we never do. We all tiptoe around the truth and ignore our feelings."

"Yeah, but you're kind of..."

"Naked? So what. It's not the first time we've had an intense conversation while my lady bits are out and on display. And, as a matter of fact, I'm in the shower. So it's not like you're going to be seeing anything. Unless you're planning on jumping in with me." She was kidding, of course. But she couldn't help to take the opportunity to make Sami feel totally uncomfortable.

"I just don't want Mandy to think that...you know..."

Chara laughed once. "Mandy? You're kidding me. She's not here. So unless she's hiding under the bed, I don't think we've got to worry about her. I'm not going to go run my mouth. It's not like I've got a million friends on the roster, y'know?"

Sami sighed. "I guess. Where do you want to start?"

Chara sucked the air through her teeth, thinking about where to begin. Especially because she never thought in a million years that she'd speak to Sami again. In her head, there were so many apologies she wanted to share and heartfelt regrets. But being put on the spot like that...well, she wasn't sure.

"From the beginning, I guess. Ring of Dishonor. When did you find out that I was let go?"

Sami was quiet for a minute. "I admit, I had heard they were making some cuts the week before. You were rumored to be one of them."

"And you decided not to say anything? Not to try to save my job?"

"That's not fair. It wasn't my place."

"Maybe, but you were a favorite backstage as well as for the crowd. I bet you anything you'd have some pull with the company, too. I expected you to go to bat for me. You know, as a matter of fact, I don't understand why I was cut at all. I was literally told that I wasn't good enough for the company. It almost felt like they were trying their hardest to keep you and I apart. Which, by the way, is totally fucked up. Because our relationship wasn't a secret. At the very least, our relationship should've been put into consideration."

Sami sighed. "Yeah, I agree. If I could go back, though, Chara, I would've gone straight to Pearce. I don't know if I would've been able to change his mind, but I wish I would've tried."

Chara shook her head, although he couldn't see her. She squirted the tiny little blob of shampoo that the sample size offered into the palm of her hand, wishing she had her own stuff with her. Of course, this would have to do; but it wasn't enough to saturate her long hair.

"Okay, then. You asked me that night...the night, you know...if I loved AJ. And I said I might. I think about it all the time. Because, to be honest, I did fall in love with him. He spent hours of his time in the ring, training me, when he didn't need to. He told me what I was lacking. He told me where I was on fire, and where I needed to improve. He is the first person to tell me honestly that I worked stiff, and my face was stone. He would correct every fuck-up that I had, because he didn't want me to get thrown out on my ass like I did in ROH ever again. I admired him for all of that, and I never expected it to go where it did. But, nonetheless, I can't help but think that it should have been you. But the thing is, you were too busy gaining traction. Gaining popularity," Chara didn't know why she was being so assertive and ballsy tonight, but she couldn't help it. These were all things that she had thought for so long, and it was time to lay it out on the table.

"Yes, I wish I was there to help you improve in the ring," Sami admitted. "And I know I could've done that. There were a lot of things that I did wrong, too. I just didn't expect you to go behind my back the way you did. I know we couldn't talk or see each other as much as we wanted to, but we both knew going into the relationship that that was common for the job."

Chara scoffed, turning the water off while blindly feeling around the towel bar for a bath towel. Naturally, the hotel had only provided a tiny one, which would be just enough to wrap around the bottom part of her boobs and barely cover the V of her legs.

Again, she liked to watch Sami squirm when he was uncomfortable.

She stepped out of the shower, her feet still a bit slippery on the floor. Sami averted his gaze with all his might, and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, I don't exactly have anything to wear. My own clothes smell like sweat and alcohol," she pointed out. "But, back to our talk. I can't help but wonder why you thought things were good between us at that point. Like you said, we never saw each other."

She made her way back to the bed she had been on earlier, the towel pulling on her chest as she sat. She ignored it, but she noticed that Sami hadn't.

"I loved you. And I thought maybe if we got engaged, the distance wouldn't matter. That our companies couldn't have kept us apart."

"Sami, we were almost always across the country from each other. I understand what you're trying to say, but it almost looks like a last-ditch effort, even though you knew things weren't right between us. See, the thing is, it was me who took the fall for screwing you over. It was _me_ who looked like a cheap fool. _Me_ who got dropped from promotions. _Me_ with the stigma. Not you, and definitely not AJ. But, the more time I've spent with the company, the more I've come to realize it wasn't solely my fault. All three of us were partially to blame."

Sami didn't comment.

"I got lucky when I moved on to New Japan," she continued, since he clearly had nothing to say to her last statement. "I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't have much money. But they were willing to sign me, and I got to work with so many great talents that changed my perspective on the business. Regardless, I knew when I was done there that I was walking into a snake pit. I was so ready to hang up the boots."

"Yeah," Sami croaked. "I got your text when you were on the plane, getting ready to go. You said you would stay back if I would just tell you that one day, we could try this again."

Chara's eyes grew cold as she shot him a glare. She couldn't believe that he'd actually received the outpouring of messages she'd sent him, following AJ's assault. She'd assumed that he had changed his number.

"You got all my texts?" she asked carefully.

"Of course I did," Sami responded coolly.

"And you never responded?!" Chara was beginning to get heated. "I left, because you never asked me to stay! I waited and waited for you. For minutes. For hours. For days! But all you ever gave me was silence, and I took that as your answer."

"I didn't know what to say!" Sami argued. "Because I knew that if I spoke to you, I'd get wrapped up in feelings all over again. And I couldn't do that to myself. I knew that as soon as I heard your voice, I would be ready to pick things up right where they left off. But, for my own well-being, I decided to avoid conversation altogether. Letting you go to New Japan was a way to free myself from the heartache. As much as I wanted things to work out between us, I knew that I would always be wary. I knew that, at the end of the day, I couldn't be happy."

Chara scoffed. "And you're happy now? With the blonde darling, Mandy Rose?" she couldn't help but say her name with disdain after her last run-in with the NXT star.

Sami shrugged. "So far, it's not too bad," Sami stated. "I don't know where it's going to go, but right now, it's simple. Nice. I haven't been in a relationship since you broke...my heart," Sami's words got quiet near the end of his sentence. "I just didn't trust anyone," he twisted his mouth. "I would've been a shitty boyfriend if I had tried to jump into a relationship when I wasn't ready."

"You were kind of a shitty boyfriend anyways," Chara pointed out.

Sami shrugged. "If you say so. I'm not the one who cheated."

Chara groaned. "I get it! Shit. Like you said, though, I had sent you hundreds of texts over the next few months, telling you that when we were older and more mature, we should try again. I've got to know. Since AJ is obviously married now, will we ever be able to try again?" She wasn't sure why she was pressing the issue. Did she even want to try again with Sami? Their love was young and silly, after all. It might have worked out fine if they were just a few years older.

"Assuming you and Mandy don't work out, of course," she blurted out, before Sami could respond. He didn't say anything, but his dark orbs burned into hers. He clearly didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure if she was just messing with his head. She could see the wheels turning.

"I don't know," Sami murmured after what felt like an eternity. "I loved you, Chara. But the thing is, I know that you love AJ. And I don't want to be with you by default. Because you and I both know that if AJ wasn't married, you two would be together."

Chara considered that for a minute. "But he _is_ married," she replied dully.

"That he is."

"So, why won't either of you let me go and try to be happy with someone else? Obviously, things were going fine between Baron Corbin and I. I mean, I might've gotten sloppy drunk and acted like a complete asshat the other night. But so what? I don't need you or AJ to be my damned guardian angels."

Sami's jaw literally dropped. "You're kidding, right?" he shook his head. "Chara, Baron Corbin is bad news. You were lucky as hell that AJ was at the hotel bar last night, keeping an eye on you two."

Chara laughed sarcastically. "No way. I didn't realize Big Brother was in the building, too! Why the fuck would AJ care who I was seeing last night?"

"You don't remember, do you?" Sami asserted.

"I remember having a nice time with a really great guy. I also remember waking up in this bedroom. I would give anything to have woken up with Baron," she crossed her arms, shooting Sami a glare. He intercepted it well, though, negating the daggers.

"Yeah? Do you remember him shoving alcohol your way, too?" Sami countered, his tone rising.

"So what? At least he was trying to be nice."

"No, Chara, he was trying to get you fucked up. Which, by the way, he succeeded."

Chara could feel the red creeping on to her face. What had she done? And, what was worse, why couldn't she remember it?

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Sami folded his arms across his chest, a small look of satisfaction on his face. "You don't remember how awful he was towards you. But AJ saw all of it. Chara, Baron Corbin tried to drug you. He tried to humiliate you by taking some fucked-up pictures of you."

"You're fucking lying," Chara whispered, her words cold. "Baron Corbin is a future superstar. He wouldn't jeopardize his career for something so stupid."

Sami guffawed. "That's the thing. Nobody can confirm or deny that he was responsible for it. But, isn't it ironic that the last person you were with before AJ scooped you up and carried you here was the Lone Wolf?"

"Baron wouldn't do that to me. He likes me," she was standing her ground on this one. Sure, Corbin was a rough character, but she had a hard time believing he was malicious as well. "I think you two just didn't like that I was potentially moving on for once."

"Chara, fucking listen to me, would you?!" Sami's temper flared. "I don't care if you try to move on. But that asshole tried to hurt you. That's why you're here, and not with him. Because no matter what fuckin' Styles wants to believe, he cares more for you than he ever has for another person before."

Chara shivered at his words. Not only had Sami never used such an angry tone with her, but the fact that he was commenting on AJ's feelings towards her was gut-wrenching.

"Bullshit," she dropped her towel, displaying herself for a split second before covering up with one of the bedsheets. Sami pretended he hadn't looked. "I've met some pricks in my life, Sami, but you, sir, are a fucking cactus."

"Not bullshit," he responded simply. "One day, I think you'll understand. Sometimes the person we think we want is the person that we're better off without. For you, that person is Baron. Trust me on this one," Sami warned.

Chara didn't say anything. Sami didn't have any solid proof that Baron had done anything with an ill-will towards her. But, if he had been Prince Charming, she probably wouldn't have been in AJ's room right now.

"So, there's something else you should know about," Sami said after a short pause.

"What's that? That you and AJ decided to give me a pair of steel panties, only to be unlocked by a key?"

Sami laughed, clapping her lightly on the thigh. "You never fail to make me laugh, even when the topic is serious. I miss that. Your blunt sense of humor is something nobody can match."

"Not even Mandy?"

"Definitely not," Sami agreed. "But, in all seriousness. You need to know that someone decided to leak a photo of you and AJ Styles at some charity event thing from awhile back. It's been making it's rounds on the internet."

"That picture has been on Google images for years. It's really nothing. What's the problem?" Chara countered.

Sami bit his lip. "Well...apparently either your iCloud or AJ's got hacked. Because there's some pretty telling photos on Twitter right now of you guys, from the same night."

* * *

 _ **Oh, no. Does Chara ever catch a break?**_

 _ **What did you guys think about the talk between Sami and Chara?**_

 _ **And finally, is Baron Corbin out of the picture for good yet? Let me know your thoughts.**_


	21. Luck

**Shout out to those of you who have reviewed. It has been motivating. My hours at work have changed to normal-people hours, so I plan on continuing to write on a regular basis.  
**

* * *

 _ _November 23, 2011: New Orleans, Louisiana; Mariott Inn__

AJ lazily smiled at Chara, laying beside him. Her skin seemed to glisten as the morning daylight struck her bare back, her hands tucked under the pillow she was laying on. She was entangled in the bed sheet, and he enjoyed watching her shoulders rise and fall with each breath she took as she slept. He thought about touching her, just because he wanted to. Yet, he thought better of it; the last thing he wanted to do was to wake her. They'd had quite the night and early morning, after all.

Although he'd wanted to sleep in just a little, AJ knew he wouldn't be able to. He just simply didn't do that. Unfortunately for him, no matter when he fell asleep, his body wanted to be awake and alert at the earliest hours of the morning. And so, running off from about four hours of sleep would have to do for now.

"Mmmm," Chara turned from her belly over to her back, a small smile forming as she sleepily gazed at AJ. "Why are you looking at me?" she wondered, her words tired.

"Just imagining what you would look like sleeping in my bed back home," he mumbled. It was partially true. Whatever happened last night was perhaps the start of a real relationship between them. He was both nervous and ecstatic, happy that they'd finally been able to accept that they were interested in each other. This wasn't a student/tutor relationship anymore. Not even close.

"Hmmm," Chara drew her head close to his bare chest, nuzzling him. "As long as you're with me, I could sleep on a bed of needles," she replied.

"This bed is pretty close to just that," AJ smiled into her hair, which was now limply curled and mussed up from all the extracurricular activities earlier. "I promise you, my bed is much nicer than this."

"I guess you'll have to prove it," she murmured.

Suddenly, AJ got the idea in his head to capture the moment. Normally, he wasn't one to take photos, but in that particular moment, he wanted to remember Chara snuggled up to him forever. Her hair splayed all over the awful pillowcase that the hotel had decorated with. Her sleepy, beautiful face. Her swollen, pink lips from all the kissing that they'd done (they'd had to make up for a lot of lost time).

AJ reached on the nightstand for his phone, opening the camera. Chara saw what he was grabbing for, and buried her head further into his chest. "Oh my god, no way," she whined. "I am certain that I look like hot garbage. No way do I want you to be photographing my 'Walk of Shame.'"

AJ laughed lightly. "First of all, you are gorgeous and you know it. Even when you just woke up from a night out. I just want to save this moment forever," he stroked her hair gently, noticing that she must have had an entire can of hairspray in it the night before. It was sticky and very dry. "Second of all, this isn't a 'Walk of Shame.' I'm not going anywhere, and you aren't either. You're stuck with me now."

"And third?" she squeaked, slowly retreating from AJ's muscular, safe chest. She was clearly being sold on the idea of getting her picture taken. He was just too damn smooth.

"What makes you think there's a third?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, peeking her eyes up at him and meeting his face. "Is there a third?"

"Third...You don't need to worry about anyone else ever seeing it. I would never do that to you."

She gave in, allowing him to snap a picture of both of them laying in bed together. One of her breasts was fully exposed, and her head was pressed up under AJ's chin. It very much looked like they'd just had sex, even though they actually hadn't. AJ saved the picture, saving it as the day's date. **112311BB**.

"What does the BB stand for?" Chara had inquired.

"Benefit Ball," he replied. "I never want to forget that dress," he nodded towards the red dress that was in a pile by the shoes she'd worn. It was like the scene out of a movie. Chara's cheeks turned a bit pink, and she realized that AJ was holding her gaze. She could feel her head buzzing as she tipped her face upwards to kiss his perfect mouth. He moved down just an inch, and they locked lips passionately, as though it was going to be the last time they'd ever kiss again.

"Send it to me," she urged him. "I swear to God, I'll never show another soul. It'd be absolutely humiliating."

AJ did, after making her promise that she would never tell anyone that it existed. _Ever._

* * *

 _October 11, 2016: 4:30 PM  
_

AJ bit his lip, trying his hardest to suppress his anger.

"Look, I understand that you can't just hand off keys to rooms that aren't mine. But this is urgent," his face was beginning to redden, and he was getting hot. This was really pissing him off.

A few hours ago, the WWE doctor, Chris Amann, came to check up on Chara's status. He grimaced when he saw the state that the woman was in, instantly pulling out his cell phone from his jeans pocket. AJ suspected it was to confirm to Hunter that yes, indeed, Chara was in just as bad condition as had been reported.

He'd checked her vitals, checked her arms and legs for markings, and forced her eyes open so he could shine his little flashlight into them.

"What do you think, Doc?" Sami Zayn had piped up from the chair he was sitting in. He, too, had been caring for Chara throughout the day. That way, AJ could get a little bit of sleep. They each took shifts, so to speak, caring for her and ensuring that she wasn't choking or dying of heat.

"Well," Dr. Amann clicked a pen as he wrote on a pad of legal paper. "Miss Wright definitely appears to have taken some kind of drug. A lot of the things you guys have described including what I've seen is very consistent with the effects of the popular date-rape drug, GHB," he confirmed.

AJ's agitation had risen to a whole new level at that point. "I fucking knew it," he shot, gritting his teeth.

"Mixing the drug with alcohol, however, is very concerning. Her blood pressure seems awfully low for her age. However, if it were a lot of the drug, I don't think she'd be with us," the doctor continued, casting his eyes downward.

 _As in, she could've died if she'd overdosed,_ AJ thought to himself. _Which means Corbin new exactly how much to mix in._

"So, you're going to question the idiot that did this, right?" Sami was much more calm with his words. AJ wasn't sure how he could remain so calm when something so vile had happened to Chara. Didn't he want to go kick Baron Corbin's teeth in just as much as he did?

"Well, about that," Dr. Amann stroked his chin for a moment, thinking. "We can't do anything unless one of two things happens. Either an eye-witness comes forward, or we've got clear, solid evidence. We've requested the security tapes from the hotel bar area to see if we can find anything that is a little off. But until then, we will just have to be careful of rumors circulating without a certainty. The last thing we need is for this to make the rounds on the internet."

After letting the men know that there wasn't an antidote to the drug, he highly recommended keeping an eye on the sleeping woman in addition to keeping her hydrated once she was awake.

"She should eat something," he's said. "But it wouldn't be surprising if she doesn't want to." On his way out, he was dialing Hunter's personal cell phone.

So, after all that, AJ realized that eventually, Chara _would_ be waking up. He'd realized that the clothes that him and Sami had struggled off from her earlier were sopping wet with sweat and a faint beer smell. She didn't have any of her necessities; obviously, so he volunteered himself to go and get them from her room.

Except, after turning her jeans inside out, he found that she didn't have her hotel keycard or her cell phone.

"Check the front desk," Sami had offered. "I bet she left them at the bar when Baron was dragging her out the door."

AJ had, but nobody had turned anything in. And now, he was finagling with the young man who was running the front, trying his hardest to get a key activated to get into her room. The young man was doing his job, of course. And quite well. Hotels usually had a zero-tolerance policy for the WWE Superstars as far as getting room numbers and such went. This was to respect the privacy of the performers. Unfortunately for AJ, he was not a crazed fan but simply there to get Chara's belongings.

As if the bad news from the Doctor wasn't enough, he was standing in the lobby practically begging to be let into Chara's room. He supposed he also wanted to find out _immediately_ if she'd left her phone in the room. He had a bad, bad feeling that she hadn't. Although, he didn't recall seeing it last night, either. But if she'd brought it with her and met Baron Corbin, he suspected that Corbin had gone through it and found the picture that was currently making its rounds online.

After all, she had been so fucked up last night she wouldn't have even realized he was looking through her phone.

"I am sorry, sir," the young boy stated once again, shaking the thoughts from AJ. "I have strict orders from my manager to not allow additional room keys to be activated."

"Is your manager here?" AJ asked, drumming his fingers against the stone of the counter. "If so, can I talk to him? This is an emergency."

The young man looked up at him, curiosity peaking in his eyes. "Yes, sir," he replied. He went to the office behind the counter, and a large, middle-aged man waddled through the door. He pushed his glasses up to his nose, as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"AJ St-t-tyles?" the man stuttered, raking a hand through his balding, reddish hair. "I'm sorry-I'm such a fan of yours. Great work as of late with Bray Wyatt and Abigail, although I would love to see you retain. H-h-how may I help you?"

"Well, your young employee here is doing an excellent job. However, one of the fellow performers lost her key card last night and it hasn't been turned in. She's very sick, and can't come get one herself. I am coming to retrieve the items left behind in her room."

"Er...well, AJ, we have a v-v-very strict policy for all of the t-t-talents," he mumbled, his cheeks reddening.

"I _know_ that," AJ stated coolly, reminding himself that these poor saps were only doing exactly what had been asked of them. "As I told this young man, though, it's an emergency. And, if you just activate another key for us, I've got something for you, too. This is really important," he finally plopped a $50 bill on the counter, and the man looked up at him in disbelief.

"Please," AJ breathed, exasperated. "It's for room 222. I just want to get her things, and I'll leave the card on the bed for the housekeeping staff. Nobody will ever have to know a thing."

The older man made a face upward, as though he was checking the camera above, as he slowly took the bill from the counter top. "I will be right b-b-back," he agreed quietly. When he returned, he had a little plastic keycard with a room number written on the envelope. He also held a black Sharpie in his hand. He stuck out the bill once again, and asked AJ to sign it.

AJ did, but also signed a piece of the stationery with the hotel's logo and such on it. Just in case he ever was in desperate need for the fifty bucks, he'd told the manager. The feeble guy was so over the moon with meeting one of his on-screen heroes, he'd forgotten all about breaking the policy. AJ thanked him numerous times before heading towards the staircase to the right.

Once he had gotten to Chara's door, he found himself nervous. What if Baron Corbin was waiting for him, ready to beat the shit out of him? After all, he had sent him to the floor the night before. Then again, after knowing what they all knew now, Corbin was without a doubt responsible for Chara's condition. He had a feeling that until it had blown over, he wasn't trying to get into any more trouble. The unfortunate part of it was, AJ realized, that the whole thing probably would blow over. Nobody had any proof that he'd slipped something into Chara's drink. He hoped maybe the bartender last night had at least seen something.

However, he also though that perhaps this wasn't the first time the Lone Wolf had done something like this to an unsuspecting, naive victim.

After letting himself into Chara's room, he noticed that it clearly hadn't been lived in at all. Chara's bags were in the corner, some items of clothes strewn around the room. It looked as though she'd been searching for something to wear. He smiled to himself, catching a small, wandering scent of her lavender perfume.

He began stuffing her items back into the largest bag she had, being mindful of each item he touched. He imagined the black t-shirt he'd stuffed into the bag clinging to Chara's little frame. He pictured her wearing the striped pajama shorts to bed the night before. He predicted how her ass looked in the tight little jeans.

AJ moved on to the bathroom, ensuring each of her toiletries was safely tucked into a separate bag. _But seriously, how much makeup did one girl need?_ he wondered to himself, cramming tubes and clamps and pods into a small, vinyl case. He checked the shower to see if she had her own shampoo and conditioner. As it turned out, she did. He quickly swiped them from the small indentation of the tub, tossing those into her bag as well.

He did one final sweep of her room to make sure he hadn't missed anything. AJ also bitterly realized that her phone was indeed missing, and had gotten into the hands of someone who was wicked and spiteful.

Readying to leave, he swung her over-packed bags over his shoulder hoping that she wasn't awake yet. If she was awake, she wouldn't have anything to wear, which meant that Sami would be hanging out with her while she wore virtually nothing. Not that he should be jealous, but he was...

He went to leave the key the manager had activated for him on the already-made bed, but stopped in his tracks. There was already a card there. He guessed it was likely Chara's key card. Next to it was a little purple phone, which was dead. And under that?

The picture from the morning of the Benefit. Chara smiled up at him in black and white, their nude bodies wrapped up into each other. He'd made a point not to look at it online, but seeing it in person made him feel sick. He'd been so happy in that moment. So certain of Chara. So sure that one day, they would end up married. Looking at it now made him realize that everything he wanted back then hadn't turned out. The worst of it was that he'd forced himself to believe he wasn't at fault at all. If he'd just listened, he probably would have understood Chara's thought process. They might have been able to make it work, despite the mess.

And now, it was an even bigger mess. His wife was threatening to send him divorce papers because he hadn't revealed he was working with an ex-girlfriend. He also had never mentioned that Chara existed at all.

Shaking away both the memories and his problems with a shudder, AJ picked up the picture in his hands. Fuck, Chara was beautiful. In any other situation, he would have happily welcomed the nostalgia. Today, though, wasn't the day to commemorate the past.

He sighed, wishing he had a time capsule. If only he could try again to keep Chara within his grasp. He would have allowed her to go to New Japan. Shit, he would've gone with her. Supported her each step of the way, as he should have the entire time.

He noticed that the picture had a note on it as well. On the bottom, someone had written in thick, blackened letters:

 **How about an autograph, Champ? This one's for the world to see!**

* * *

Baron Corbin smiled as he glanced down at the check in his hands. Yep, TMZ had written it out for him on the spot. $5,000 for that very telling picture of the current Champ and the little tramp.

He had been quite sore upon waking up on the floor of the hotel, his head pounding and his cheek raw with a freshly formed bruise. He hadn't seen AJ at all during the course of the night, so he had been shocked when the southern fucker had observed the larger man with his ex-bed buddy. As he should have suspected, Chara's little guardian was keeping an eye on her. If it wasn't Bray, it was AJ, making sure she didn't make a total fool of herself.

To his surprise, though, Chara's little purple phone was underneath his body. That, and the key to her room. He couldn't believe his luck. He'd fully intended to take a picture of her showing the world her tits, displaying them for Twitter to see and revealing that Sister Abigail was certainly not a nun. In a perfect world, showing the world Bray's ghost-like, silver-screened Sister as the skank that she was would get her let go from the company. No more would he have to worry about Bray making a grab at the title that was rightfully his! Not to mention, the fact that he took out an indie darling would make him an instant legend to the wrestlers that were homegrown. He'd get a bit of respect just off from that alone.

He knew his methods were questionable, but Chara had a hard exterior. She wasn't as trusting as he initially thought. After she'd heard about Baron's soon-to-be child, she'd backed off tremendously. He had to re-think the approach, hoping that he could find a way to keep her interested in what he had to offer. No, he had no intention on anything else with her besides maybe a quick go in the bedroom.

Of course, things didn't work out that way. The shiner was proof of that.

He could have had a party upon finding out that Chara's phone didn't have a security lock to it whatsoever. He'd swiped through her pictures, amazed at how many selfies she took for someone who seemed so against the grain. She had been so different than most the other women in the locker room that he kind of expected her photo reel to be landscapes and in-the-moment photos. But Chara was just the same as the rest of them.

He was also surprised to see how far back the photos dated to. At first, he wondered why she hadn't gotten a new phone since 2011. Then, he realized that she actually had a card in her phone, keeping her thousands of pictures saved. The further back he got, the juicier the photos got. Chara and Mickie James, touching the tips of their tongues. Chara's legs in a bath tub. Chara holding up a see-through t-shirt to show off her abs. Sami Zayn's ass.

Then, Baron Corbin had hit gold. There it was; the proof that the world had been seeking. It was well-known that Chara was sleeping with AJ Styles, although nobody could prove it. There were plenty of people who witnessed the night Sami had found out about her hopping on AJ's dick. Of course, that was all speculation, and fans online didn't accept the story as it was. The real-world only knew that AJ had trained her, and she had a school girl crush on him. Despite the damning evidence, there were still plenty of theories out there.

It was confirmed that she was blacklisted by pretty much every wrestling company, which was in part Styles' fault. Because AJ had denied that anything was going on between them through thick and thin, he had saved face at the peak of his career. He avoided the embarrassment, instead throwing Chara under the bus.

This photo, though, proved that AJ was a liar. And it was _Too Sweet_. Pun intended.

Baron chuckled to himself, laughing at his own dumb joke. Smirking over how lucky he'd been. He had been aiming to destroy Chara's career simply because she didn't deserve to be there and she was an easy target. Instead, Baron was likely going to be able to destroy both of them.

So, the first thing he did? He sold that picture off to one of the largest online gossip websites in the country. At a price, of course. He'd had his eye on a new cycle for awhile, and this was a nice amount towards it.

* * *

 **Oh, Chara.**

 **What's next for the trio? Will her and AJ ever be together? What about Sami?**

 **Will Baron Corbin get what's coming to him?**

 **Will Chara remember what happened the night before, and realize that maybe Corbin isn't that great of a guy?**

 **Let me know your thoughts!**


	22. Confusion

**Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I am so happy that it was perceived so well.  
**

 **Greatest, sincerest apologies for not quickly updating. I had the opportunity to head to the TLC pay-per-view. What a trip that was! After serious sleeping, I'm back, and better than ever. ;)**

* * *

 _ _October 11, 2016: 5:02 PM  
__

"Jesus, Char, could you put some clothes on?" AJ grumbled, shielding his eyes as the woman sat on his bed, wrapped in a teeny, tiny towel. He then realized that she didn't have much other choice, as her bags were over his shoulder.

"What did you want me to wear, Champ? A pair of your boxers? Maybe a shirt of yours?" she chided, aiming to make him uncomfortable. Sami still sat in the room as well, pulling at the neck of his t-shirt awkwardly. She heard him mumble a lame excuse before he got up from the chair, making a dash for the door. After the massive conversation they'd finally had, she could only assume that the guy had a lot to think about. That, and she supposed that he'd had enough of hanging with AJ.

 _Or, maybe, he just couldn't handle being the third wheel..._

"Cute," AJ replied shortly, a small roll of his eyes. He grabbed a blue t-shirt from his bags, a P-1 promotional shirt from WWE Shop, and threw it Chara's way. She made no effort to catch it, and simply watched it fall at her bare feet. She made a face before kicking at it.

"Better yet," Chara furrowed her brows mischievously. "Why don't you take a picture of me in those items, and paste it all over the internet for the world to see? That seems to be your kind of thing, after all."

" _My_ kind of thing?!" AJ whipped around to face her, his teeth grit. He figured that Sami was going to spill the beans to her about her goods all over the web, but he never expected that he'd be painted as the bad guy. "You're kidding, right? I haven't seen that photo in years. I don't know how that photo was found, but I do know that your phone and your hotel room key were missing after your hot date with Baron last night. Try again, love."

"The last thing I would have on my phone is a picture of you," she shot back. "For what? To remind me of how badly you fucked me over? No, thank you," she sucked breath between her teeth, making a grab at one of her bags that AJ had thrown down next to her on the bed. She couldn't wait to get into actual clothes.

"You're still on that 'woe is me' bullshit?" AJ drawled. "I think it's clear by now, that even for you, things get better."

Chara looked back up at him, her mouth hanging open just slightly. She had pulled out whatever she'd decided on from her bag, but now stood to face AJ. "That's easy for you to say," she countered, jabbing a finger towards his sternum. "You had things so easy. But me? I have been sad for years. Don't sit there and tell me that things get better. Because they haven't, and I don't know if they will."

With that, she pushed past him, slamming the door to the bathroom. He could hear her moving around in there, and it gave him time to re-assess the situation. Clearly, they needed to sit down and figure out what they were going to say about the photo. It was just a matter of time before one of the officials gave him a call, trying to get to the bottom of it. Luckily, it was an old photo, and he might be able to pass it off as a fake. Actually, that might work...

When Chara emerged from the bathroom, she still looked pale, ill, and very angry. She cast a wicked, sideways glance at AJ, who gave a small sigh.

"You are impossible," he stated, finally drawing near to her. Before she had a chance to respond or step away, he enveloped his arms around her, giving her a warm, comforting hug. He had done this completely unplanned, but for the situation it seemed right. She was stiff in his arms at first, frozen in fear. But the longer he held her like that, the more she relaxed. She didn't exactly return his hug, but she allowed herself to be wrapped in his embrace.

They stood like that for a long while. Chara began to cry. He wasn't great at being affectionate when it came to girls crying, but he supposed that she might just need to get the sadness out of the way. After all, the last 24 hours of the woman's life were unrecognizable, and she had no idea how lucky she had been. Another embarrassing thing for her was nothing compared to what could have happened.

"What's next?" Chara's tears were spilling down her cheeks, and all AJ could do was brush them away. Her breaths were labored, and in response, AJ just pulled her tightly towards him, allowing them both to fall backwards on to the bed. She buried her head into his chest, and he stroked her hair as she hid from him.

He held her like that for a long, long time. She sobbed quietly into his t-shirt, sometimes mumbling incoherently into his chest.

"What do you want to happen next?" AJ asked her quietly, after her tears seemed to die down.

"I want the picture to go away," she said. "I don't know how anyone found it, either. But someone did. I hoped it was a nice photoshop job, but I remember it clearly. It's as authentic as they come. And Sami, of all people, showed it to me. It's all over Twitter. Watching the pain in his eyes all over again reminded me how badly things had turned out for us the first time around. I don't know if he'll ever forgive what I did to him," Chara's voice cracked a little at the last statement, and AJ feared she was about to start crying all over again.

"I don't know how we're going to make it disappear," AJ responded slowly, carefully choosing his words. "We may be able to pass it off as a good photoshop job, though. Nobody else needs to know that it's as real as can be," he offered.

"I don't even know what's real anymore," Chara muttered, slowly turning away from AJ. AJ caught her as she tried to maneuver away from the bed, grasping her hand in his. She strained to look at him, concern spreading across her features.

He placed her hand on his beating heart. She could feel it beating quickly and loudly, thumping away as they stared at each other for awhile.

"This is real," AJ said finally.

"Yes, it is," Chara agreed, a sad smile playing on her lips. She withdrew her hand from his heart carefully, uncertain of AJ. She watched him for awhile, and he stood there with his hands on her shoulders. He clearly wanted to say something else, but all he did was keep eye contact. Chara considered kissing him, only for a minute though...after all, technically, AJ Styles was already spoken for. And she learned her lesson already.

"What happened to me?" Chara's voice came out in a hoarse whisper. Sure, Sami had given her some insight. But she wasn't sure she believed it quite yet.

"Sami didn't tell you?" AJ tread the waters carefully.

"I mean, he did," Chara responded. "But, to be honest, AJ, I don't believe it. I don't understand why Baron Corbin would be interested in hurting me. I met him months ago, and we got along well. Look at it from my point of view. To me, it looks like you guys are being jealous idiots." Chara tried to push away the memory of Bray Wyatt jostling her over the exact same issue. Could she really have been that wrong about Baron Corbin this entire time?

AJ stepped away for a minute, looking away from her. "Chara, quit being so damned dense," he shook his head. "Baron Corbin was interested in hurting _me_. And he did, because he's not stupid."

Chara snickered, her only defense against the nervous feeling she was carrying around. "What the fuck are you talking about, Champ?" she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. She had a hard enough time believing that Corbin was a master of drugging drinks. There was no way he was trying to use her to piss off the champion. That was just silly. But yet, AJ was trying to convince her otherwise. But the way she remembered, Baron Corbin had never acted off towards her. In fact, they'd never really had any problems between them until AJ Styles decided to involve himself in their relationship. Was he really trying to keep her safe, or was he just being overprotective? It wasn't like he had any say in what she did with her life anymore.

AJ stepped towards again, his eyes holding hers for a long moment. She backed away slightly, uncertain.

"Baron Corbin thinks he deserves the belt," AJ responded coolly. "He's pissed because I came from TNA. I wasn't a home-grown talent, yet I came into this company and rose to the top immediately."

"Yeah, well, he's rightfully pissed, then," Chara responded lamely. "I'm sure he feels like he got totally fucked over."

"That's exactly it," AJ's voice was growing frustrated. "He _did_ get totally fucked over, but that's mostly because he's not quite to the level of talent he needs to be yet. And he can't just go on and take me out, so he chose the next best thing. The thing I care about the most. You."

Chara's breath caught in her throat. It was literally everything she'd ever hoped to hear from AJ. Yet, hearing it made her heart break a little. All over again.

"What do you want from me, AJ?" she heard herself ask.

"I just wish I could lose the feelings as quickly as I lost you," AJ looked away. "I'm sorry, Chara, okay? I wasn't a great person, either. And now, seeing you again reminds me that all I've done is put a giant band-aid on a wound. I've never faced the truth. I never had the closure, either. Never in a million years did I expect you to be thrust into the WWE or back into my life. But here you are."

Chara bit her lip to keep from crying again. She reminded herself that whatever she used to have with AJ Styles was very much over.

"I...I think I should go," she said, looking down at her feet. "I'm sorry," she apologized; although for what, she wasn't sure. She made a quick, swift dodge towards the door. She expected AJ to stop her from leaving, but he didn't. She supposed she shouldn't be that surprised. AJ Styles didn't chase after anyone. And if he did, it sure as hell wasn't going to be her.

* * *

 ** _October 25, 2016: Smackdown Live; Green Bay, Wisconsin  
_**

It had been two weeks since Chara had woken up in AJ's hotel room. Luckily, she'd been able to mostly avoid any further contact from either AJ or Sami. Bray had joined her on the road over the weekend once again, and they fell into a comfortable routine about not talking about the shit that was going on in either of their personal lives. Unfortunately, the press was informative enough.

Because of the online internet community, Chara had learned that Bray Wyatt's wife had been blasting him all over social media, calling JoJo all sorts of terrible names. Samantha Rotunda was filing a ridiculous amount of orders and financial obligations, trying to suck the Wyatt Family's leader of every last penny he had. Bray had stayed completely silent about his affair, and she respected that. After all, the things the internet had been saying about her weren't very nice, either.

Luckily, AJ's agents or whatever he used decided to claim that the picture was a "good, but ultimately very fake" photoshop job by a sad loser who had nothing better to do. Chara had been contacted by hundreds of different websites and journalists to comment on the picture, but to save her job and her alliance with the Wyatt family, chose not to comment. The last thing she wanted was to lose the respect of Bray. After all, they were pretty much rowing the same boat nowadays.

Admittedly, she found herself disappointed that AJ had gone and lied about the authenticity of the picture. To save himself from the media fire, he quickly responded to the world wide web. He claimed that although the world wanted to force a relationship between former TNA stars, their relationship was simply professional. He also tweeted to the world that he respected "Alyx" for all that she was in the ring, tooting his own horn for making sure she became the best version of herself that she could be. Yet to Chara, it almost felt like he was denying her existence all over again. Then again, she understood why he did things that way. Yet, it didn't hurt her any less.

Sami had been checking in on her every now and then, making sure she was in the right state of mind. She wasn't, and often she found herself considering leaving the WWE after Bray finally got hold of the belt that AJ was toting around. She was very short with Sami, not wanting to let him too close to her guarded heart, either. Sami was doing fine on his own. As a matter of fact, she'd heard that he would be featured on an episode of _Total Divas_.

Things with the Wyatt family weren't heading in the proper direction, either. At least, not in the direction they were expecting to go. Chara and Bray were growing anxious. As a matter of fact, every single time either of them approached the creative team, they gave some cock and bull story about why Bray wasn't the Smackdown champion yet.

Hadn't Sister Abigail helped Bray gain enough momentum? But, Road Dogg often reminded them that good things took time, and he continued to promise that the feud between AJ, Dean, and James Ellsworth would be coming to an end soon. After that, it was a simple road. But Chara didn't like to wait, and Bray was growing antsy, too. Neither of them were particularly happy about being yanked around with hopeful storylines and title shots. Too bad her contract wouldn't allow her to just drift off into the abyss...

She still tried to keep in contact with Baron Corbin, who was in a terrible storyline of his own. He was very resistant of speaking to her at first, reminding Chara that AJ Styles had tried to defend her honor by blasting him in the face. It took awhile, but he opened up about what had happened that night. The way he recalled was that he was ready to bring Chara to his hotel room, but AJ Styles had gotten ridiculously jealous and followed them. Baron had admitted to Chara, via text message, that he should have known she was too drunk to know what his intentions were. She wasn't sure yet that he was being entirely truthful, but at least he was speaking to her. Plus, he swore to her that he wasn't trying to tarnish her legacy.

Chara was pretty torn. Was Baron Corbin lying to her? Because three people she loved and cared about had warned her of him. Yet, she wasn't sold on it. Baron Corbin hadn't given off any red warning flags prior to all of this, after all.

Since the overwhelming night a few weeks back, she did all she she could to not speak to anyone about what may or may not had happened. Shit, even the company's infamous Dr. Chris Amann had tried to contact her, hoping that she could recall anything that had gone on that night. She'd avoided his calls, too. Instead, she just went one day at a time, reminding herself that all she was doing was floating through each city. At the end of the week, she'd have a generous paycheck. The feelings, heartache, bullshit, and drama could promptly fuck off.

Tonight, she would help Bray defeat the demon, Kane. For whatever reason, the company had set Bray and the Wyatt Family back a little bit on the card. Again, there were promises and matches in the future, but that wouldn't be until after Survivor Series. Chara suspected it was the company's backwards way of punishing them for the negative press they'd attracted. Yet, as they were being punished, AJ Styles was still in the main event, happy as a lark. Just like before, he didn't have to carry any shame.

"Everything OK?" Bray questioned her as he laced up his boots. "Besides for the obvious, I mean."

Chara toyed with Sister Abigail's gross, heavy robe. She wasn't sure how to respond to him without pissing him off. She also didn't want to step on his feet and say anything out of line. Chara suspected she was on a thin line of employment as it was. Then again, she had nothing left to lose.

"I'm just not happy with the way our creative direction is heading," Chara admitted, glad she was able to tell Bray what had been bothering her. "Things over the last week or so have changed so much already. Don't you feel like we're getting screwed over because of all the bad press?"

"I do," Bray responded, twisting medical tape around his right hand. Chara watched him carefully as he squeezed his hand open and closed, making sure he could properly make a fist despite the tape. "But as you know, people forget. There's going to be more drama sooner or later, and you and I will be forgotten about. And the best part of that is that we'll be able to carry on our lives with the people we want to be with, and nobody will have room to comment, because nobody will remember it." Bray hadn't said a word to anyone about his feelings towards the ring announcer, nor had he admitted to knowing the photo circulating of Chara was completely legitimate. The respect she already had for Bray raised a few notches in that moment.

Chara smiled a tiny smile, looking in her Adidas bag for the heavy, brown leather gloves that she'd been wanting to sport to the ring. She found them, trying them on for size. "I don't know about all that," she told Bray. "Things are pretty messy for me. I don't really _know_ who I want to be with. Maybe that's why being single is a good look for me."

Bray looked up at her, cocking a brow. "You didn't hear?" he asked.

"Hear what?"

Bray looked down, shaking his head. "No, you don't know. All I can tell you, little one, is to take the next few steps carefully. And perhaps you should keep your next moves quiet. Give it time."

"Give what time?"

But, at that exact moment, a gopher poked his thin, rat-like head into their shared locker room, reminding them that they were due out to the ring within a few minutes.

"This isn't over yet," Chara muttered to Bray, hoping that the whiny kid hadn't heard her.

"It's only just begun, Abby," Bray smiled in response.

And with that, the brother and sister stood up, not speaking again. They had more important things to worry about...at least, for now.


	23. Nowhere

**Oh, dear. Chara truly is naive when it comes to Baron Corbin. Why does she want to see the good in him so badly?  
**

* * *

 _ _ **October 26, 2016: Season Premiere of Total Divas**  
__

The night before, Chara had been waiting her turn in the line of women before the show to get her makeup done. The other ladies usually got "glammed" up, as they called it. Chara, on the other hand, usually was at the other end of the spectrum. The WWE's Glam Squad had grown accustomed to ratting her hair, darkening her eyes, and smudging brown paint on her face to resemble dirt.

Normally, nobody said much to her. Once in awhile, Natalya would strike up a conversation. It was fine, she supposed. She knew that the other women weren't sure how to approach her because she'd been so far removed from the other women superstars. One day, she hoped that she could become more friendly with them, but the last time she tried it hadn't gone the way she expected it to... _ahem_ , thankyouverymuch, Daniel Bryan.

Today, though, the Glow Queen herself turned towards Chara in line. Chara recognized her as Naomi, who also was part of the stupid television show. Although Naomi had never spoken to her before, she gave her a warm smile before introducing herself.

"I just gotta let you know," Naomi said after some small talk, "That the _Total Divas_ premieres tomorrow night. I know that you didn't want to join the cast, and I understand why. But, as a heads up, your name does pop up on the show."

Chara began firing a few questions, but Naomi didn't have all the answers. Once Naomi was called for her signature lime-green eyeshadow to be done, Chara was separated from her informant and she realized that she wasn't going to get any more than what the Orlando native had already told her.

So now, almost 24 hours later, Chara was patiently waiting at the foot of a Days Inn hotel bed. Although the last thing Chara wanted to do was sit in her hotel room on her voyage back to her own home for the next four days, she was so tired she could hardly keep her eyes open. Luckily, her travel partners felt the same way; both JoJo and Bray decided to stop in some tiny town in southern Wisconsin near the Illinois border. If they left early enough, they'd all be able to catch their morning flights in Chicago without any problems.

Bray and JoJo had told her that if she wanted to cut costs, she could stay with them. But that simply wasn't an option in her eyes...that was just really weird. Besides, they probably wanted to have privacy. She toyed with the idea of finding something better to do, but the last time she'd done that, things hadn't ended up well for her. Not to mention, Chara figured she didn't want to hear anything second hand. If someone on the show said something totally fucked up about her, she wanted to hear it with her own ears first.

She had been texting Baron Corbin on and off, the flirting between them heavily growing over the last few hours. He already was at home, but had offered to fly her to his home if she so pleased. She found the best way possible to politely decline that offer, because she really needed to tread carefully after the leaked picture. The last thing she wanted was to have her face splashed all over the internet all over again, this time with Baron Corbin as the culprit. The media would have a field day with that.

 _"This season, on Total Divas..."_

Chara's head snapped up in response, no longer absentmindedly scouring her Twitter feed. Different highlights played, mostly about Brie Bella's desire to become a mother and Lana's attempts to be a wrestler. Nothing that named Sister Abigail, though.

She watched on, admittedly bored to tears. She knew that this show was pretty staged, but the cattiness she saw between Maryse and the Bella Twins made her consider that this show possibly set the women back about ten years. She loved the direction the women's division was heading in; this just seemed like drama that might've been cool back in the late 90s. But, she figured, it must be intriguing enough. After all, the show had captured the attention of millions of viewers.

Right about when she was considering turning off the television, frickin' Mandy Rose's face popped up.

 _"As you know, I'm Mandy Rose, the newest Total Diva and NXT rookie. But, don't think that me being a rookie means I'm a rookie to the drama."_ The scene flashed to a backstage shot of Natalya and Mandy, talking between them. Nattie seemed to be giving the younger woman advice.

 _"As some of you might now, I've been seeing Smackdown superstar, Sami Zayn. Things have been going great and heading in the right direction. But then..."_ a picture of Sami's and Chara's backs showed on the TV, sitting on top of a tote deep in discussion. She recognized that moment. She hadn't realized that she was being filmed! The image flashed back to Mandy Rose's stupid face. She looked annoyed.

 _"Sami's ex-girlfriend was signed to the company. The problem is, they go really far back. He doesn't think I know about her, but I do. I want to make sure he's over that sh** before we move forward."_

Her mouth wide open, Chara was frozen in horror. Luckily, she hadn't signed the disclosure for the dinner she'd been at. Luckily, it was only her back that had been shown, and not her face. She had to thank Bray for his advice on that...otherwise, she'd be just as humiliated as she had been a few weeks ago.

She also realized she'd been so naive, thinking that Mandy Rose had no idea of Sami's history. Most of their relationship was common backstage knowledge.

Her phone buzzed, and she recognized the unsaved number. Definitely Sami.

 _ **I am so sorry, Chara! I didn't know you would be included into the story!**_

Chara rolled her eyes, throwing her phone on her bed trying to fight back tears. The last time Sami Zayn had heard rumors of something, he chose to keep it to himself. That decision ultimately led to her getting fired from Ring of Honor. She didn't believe he had no idea that she'd be included in the season somehow, especially since Naomi had known that her name was thrown around a bit. Additionally, she wasn't sure how much more public embarrassment she could handle.

She sent Sami a simple middle finger emoji. She'd grown used to using her middle finger as a response, and it was quickly becoming her favorite appendage.

Then, her phone pinged again. She thought Sami had responded, but it was a different notification. She'd gotten a message on Twitter.

 _Just fucking great,_ she thought to herself, realizing that it was probably some serious heat from a Mandy Rose fanatic. She would be pummeled with hate mail from a bunch of fucking weirdos within the next 24 hours. But despite knowing it probably wasn't going to be something nice, she opened the message anyways. Her heart dropped.

 _ **AJStyles . org: Hey, Char. Just heard about the bomb on TD. You OK?**_

* * *

 _ **Monday, October 30, 2016**_

The next few days off had gone way too fast. In the past, she'd celebrated Halloween with her hometown friends. This time, she spent almost her entire break away from people, withdrawn and not wanting to dabble in any extracurricular activities. Her life on the road had proven to be way more excitement than she'd originally anticipated, and maybe that wasn't a good thing.

She'd blatantly ignored AJ's message on Twitter a few days ago, not wanting to discuss anything over social media. She knew better. She also had ignored a barrage of texts from Sami, Mickie James, and JoJo. Although they were all trying to be helpful, she simply didn't want to discuss the show. Maybe if she ignored _Total Divas_ , it would just disappear from the face of the Earth. That wasn't likely to happen, though, so she hoped that if she ignored it, nobody would have interest in Mandy's story. The less she reacted, the better it would be.

Now, she was busy packing up her things for the road once again, realizing that her home wasn't exactly that. The refrigerator had been empty for months, her bed still remained made from her last time home as she'd slept on the couch instead. Shit, even her cat Gypsy had hissed at her when she'd tried to pet her. Although coming to her own place should be a relaxing bout, she was anxious to return to the hotels. True, he was lonely on the road, she was much more lonely at home.

That, and she was beginning to find that her mind was getting disturbingly dark. Chara felt she was beginning to get swallowed up into the darkness; drowning in an empty feeling. Maybe it was too much for her to play such a dark character. Maybe her personal life would continue to spiral out of control What if, at the end of the day, she would just be the laughingstock of the WWE? What if she would make a future YouTube Top 10 video for the 'Biggest Superstar Failures'?

What if she would've died in the hotel room a few weeks ago? She couldn't help but wonder if maybe that would've been a fine solution to the mess her life was turning out to be. She wasn't happy. Would she ever be? It was tough telling. A dark cloud of depression began to settle around her. She wondered how easy it would be to drown her pain in vodka and painkillers. She'd known folks that had turned to that solution before.

 _What is wrong with me? Why am I being so negative?_

 _Why do I mess everything up?_

 _Why can't I just learn to let go and be happy?_

Finally, she decided to send Baron Corbin a text. She didn't want to bother Bray with her emotional distress, because she knew he had plenty going on in his own life. Baron would at least talk to her, and even though she wouldn't go far into explaining the things that she was feeling, it would be enough of a distraction. At least she could pretend that her troubles weren't weighing so heavily on her if she was with someone who genuinely had interest in her.

And, after a few back-and-forths, she discovered that Baron was actually only about two hours from her city. She was originally going to catch a taxi to the airport, but she asked if, instead, he'd be willing to swing by and pick her up. He agreed to, but told her that because of the shitty weather, she wouldn't be able to ride on his infamous motorcycle. He'd be driving to the airport in a sleek, black Escalade instead. Chara had no complaints.

* * *

 _Later that day...  
_

"I'm not sure why I've been feeling so uncertain," Chara was giving Baron Corbin a watered-down version of the panicked feelings she'd had while she was at home. "I'm just not sure that I'm happy with my career. Or my life, for that matter."

"Why's that?" the man grumbled, focusing on the interstate. He had slowly been losing interest in their conversation. Chara had hoped he'd offer her some insight, or even just be someone that would listen while she voiced all of the thoughts that had been rolling around in her brain. But after the initial flirting, he had been tuning her out. She had a feeling that he actually didn't care what was going on in her head.

"I don't know," Chara shrugged. "I want to sleep until I feel better."

Baron's eyes flashed towards her, a small sneer on his lips. Chara caught the look, taken aback by the sudden change in his features.

"I dunno what the fuck you expect from me, Chara," he flicked his blinker on to head to the furthest lane, making Chara wonder if he was planning on exiting the interstate. _Which would be weird_ , she thought; _they still had about twenty miles or so to go before the next junction._

Chara began to respond, but Baron kept going. "I kind of thought, when you called, you just wanted to fuck before we headed back on the road. That's what I was expecting. Don't you think that's rude of you to lead me on like you have?" Baron ended up exiting towards a small town that Chara didn't really recognize.

"Lead you on?" Chara gasped. "I really like you, Baron. Despite all the dumb shit people have told me about you, I know that at the end of the day, you and I are a lot more similar than anyone realizes."

Baron scoffed her way. "First of all, you and I are nothing alike. I've earned my spot with this company. And you, because of who you are and who you fucked, were just _granted_ a great storyline. You have no room to be pissing and moaning about how you're unhappy with your career. If anyone should be unhappy, it's me. Your little loverboy has been busy stealing the spotlight, and the rest of us have been cast aside. It's damned ridiculous. And second of all...if you liked me so much, you'd suck my dick."

He had parked the car at a little rest stop, the only other vehicle being a semi truck in the distance. Baron got out of the driver's seat, stretching his arms as though he just needed a quick stretch. Chara got out of the car, too, thinking that if anything bad were to happen, the person in the semi would be able to hear her screaming outside. She threw a quick glance over her shoulder at the truck, but her stomach dropped. The driver's head was tilted back, she could see. He was fast asleep.

"E-excuse me?"

"You heard me right, you little bitch. You think you're so damned special? Nah, I don't think so. Get on your knees, where you belong."

She didn't move, her legs locked in fear. For some reason, she kind of thought that he was just kidding. But when she looked up into his eyes, she noted that they were deep, dark pits of burning coal. The hatred he was emulating was very clear. For whatever reason, Baron Corbin was on the hunt, and she'd been caught in the crossfire.

"What's the matter, little girl?" Baron circled her, much like a lion stalking its prey. "You'll do anything AJ Styles asks you to do, but you want get on your goddamn knees and give _me_ a good time? Am I not _good_ enough for you? Is AJ _better_ than me?"

"What's the fascination with AJ?" Chara demanded.

Suddenly, a flood of memories hit Chara all at once. The nasty side of Baron Corbin seemed to ignite the recordings trapped deep within her head.

 _"A_ _nother TNA reject, thrown into fantastic storylines without any reason. Won't AJ be proud of you?"_

 _"Yeah, they'll love knowing that you're just a little whore," he muttered. "And after I'm through with you, that's exactly what _everyone_ will think. And I'll be sure of it. If I can't ruin AJ, at least I can ruin you. That's the closest that I've got."_

The realization must've hit Chara's face, because Baron Corbin began laughing like the psycho that he apparently was.

"Yeah, I didn't figure your little _guardian_ into that plan," he admitted, his words bitter. "If it wasn't for his disgusting unrequited love for you, it would've gone off without a hitch."

"So everything is true, then?" she growled, her cheeks flamed with red hot anger. "You tried to drug me and rape me?"

"It wouldn't have been rape. You were throwing yourself at me all evening at the bar. Even the barkeep would've attested to that," Baron responded, and it suddenly occurred to Chara that the bartender that night had been in cahoots with the Lone Wolf.

And then, the night she couldn't completely remember suddenly made sense. Corbin had probably paid him handsomely to keep his mouth shut if he saw any illegal activities, like a slip into a drink. That was also probably why there was no way to be certain she'd been drugged by Baron Corbin himself.

He had everything figured out, step by step.

"You were going to put pictures of me all over the internet," said Chara flatly. It wasn't a question, because she already knew the truth.

"Very good! Who would've thought, someone so dense could actually put the puzzle together?" Baron laughed. Chara's knuckles twitched, and she really wanted to punch this asshole square in the nose. He deserved it. But she knew that she'd never be able to come close to his strength. Without anyone else in sight, he would be able to legitimately kill her and nobody would ever know.

"You know what's funny, though? After Styles blasted me in the face like the bitch that he is, I woke up on top of your phone. Imagine my surprise to find that my plan hadn't been completely spoiled! In fact, I found that you still held on to a piece of your past with AJ. Just a simple little photo which will now be online forever. AJ can have his agent do all the damage control he wants, but both of you know the leaked picture is one-hundred percent real. And, as a matter of fact, so does his wife."

Chara's expression changed. "How?" she asked.

Baron Corbin chuckled, as though he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Because I sent it to her first, letting her know that it was going to be leaked to the public in the next few hours," he smiled. "And AJ won't be able to lie to her, because she'll see right through it."

"Fantastic," Chara muttered, realizing that she'd managed to ruin lives once again.

"Haven't you wondered where he's gone and run off to? He's been busy with her, trying to figure out how to make it work. Yeah, AJ loves you, but the thing is, you will never be good enough for him. That's a hard pill to swallow, isn't it? Stupid girl. But deep down, you already knew the truth. You're just a notch in the bedpost to him."

 _How can I live with that?_ she thought darkly, the trapped feeling tangling up her insides. Maybe if Corbin just offed her now, it would be best. It wasn't like Baron Corbin was lying to her. She already knew that AJ was too good for her. She already knew that all the time she'd spent with AJ brought memories back, but not him.

She also cursed at herself for not going through her phone. She hadn't gone that far back in her photos in a long, long time. She did remember saving the photo, despite the heavy memories it contained. She just didn't have the heart to delete it back then. But she should've known better, especially given being thrust into the public eye so suddenly.

"So, since you have no boyfriend, husband, friends, or virtually anyone that gives a flying fuck about your existence, I had to re-think how I can rid you from the picture. AJ's going to suffer, and that's what I wanted. But you aren't suffering enough. So, here we are," he pointed to the vast, empty fields. No cars were driving by. No farms in the distance. They were nowhere.

"Imagine the chaos backstage when Sister Abigail is nowhere to be found," Baron's voice was rough and laced with evil. "Without you, Bray Wyatt wont be next in line for the title. As a matter of fact, Sister Abigail and Bray Wyatt probably won't be in the company _at all._ "

The fear that he was about to kill her was heightened now. Chara realized that the way she'd read this demented sociopath the wrong way this entire time. She'd been so hopeful that they were two similar, distraught souls that still hadn't figured out where life was trying to lead them. He'd played it coy so well, though, that despite the rumors of him fathering a kid and him being a bad guy, Chara still had found it oddly easy to trust him.

 _Isn't that a common trait of a serial killer?_

Baron had crossed around the back of his vehicle, and Chara realized that he probably had a gun or knife in the back seat, hidden from her view. She closed her eyes, ready for the worst.

But, instead, her bags landed at her feet. He'd thrown them at her, a deranged smile plastered on his face now.

"You won't get any reception out here," he stated, happy with himself. "I hope your guardian angel can fly, because there's no way you can make it to Smackdown tomorrow night in time from here." He hopped into the driver's door, throwing her cell phone through the passenger's window.

"Wh-come on!" Chara screeched, realizing that he was going to leave her here, all by herself. Thousands of miles away from the show in Arizona. How long would it take her to get to the interstate? She hadn't been paying attention, but she figured it would be quite the hike. Not to mention, she was wearing fringed moccasin boots, which was hardly footwear for a long walk.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, asshole?" she shouted at him, but he just chortled merrily at her ferociousness, as if this was perfectly normal for his life.

"You should've sucked my dick, bitch!" Baron Corbin yelled out the window, the tires wailing as he backed the vehicle against the gravel road. He slammed the vehicle into drive, kicking the dirt up into Chara's eyes. She yelled out, bits of stones and dust smacking her in the face. She quickly wiped her eyes, allowing the hot stream of tears fall from her face.

"Fucking great," she said out loud to herself, sitting down and burying her face in her knees as she sobbed. Once again, she was at a loss for what to do next.

* * *

 ** _Well holy hell, who expected that one?_**

 ** _Chara's left out in the middle of nowhere. How in the hell is she going to get halfway across the country in one day? What's going to happen with Baron Corbin?_**

 ** _Shout-out to Armbar Nation again for suggesting a kidnapping, though I modified it a little bit._**


	24. Saved

**Finally! I know it seems like I've been slacking. My husband uses the computer for work, and I guess technically that's more important than this. It's okay, though, because I've acquired a second computer so that I can keep up.  
**

 **Thank you to those who peeked at my last update. Hoping to see more readers!**

 **I had to split this into 2 separate chapters because holy hell, was it long. :)**

* * *

 _ _ **Tuesday, October 31, 2016: Smackdown Live; Halloween Edition**  
__

Baron Corbin smirked as he walked backstage a few hours before the show was set to begin. So far, he hadn't seen or heard from the little troll that played Sister Abigail. He supposed that he wouldn't. After all, the only chance she had of getting here on time was that tired truck driver, and everyone knew that generally, truck drivers weren't too keen on driving somewhere that they weren't intending to go.

Some scrawny, pale low-life handed him the night's manuscript, and he smiled more. Of course, since it was the Halloween edition, there would be plenty of tricks and treats. One of those would be a very special appearance by Abigail, getting involved in a main event between Styles, Cena, Rusev, and Wyatt. Abigail was to cause an upset victory in a tag-team match, allowing her brother and the Bulgarian Brute the win. The interference was supposed to be in a spectacular way, though it seemed only the four in the event knew what was going to happen.

In any event, that interference would cause a rift between Styles and Cena, setting up for next week.

But, again, Baron Corbin laughed to himself. Hopefully, the creative team had a plan B when they realized that Chara Wright wasn't coming for the evening. He could already envision the panic that was sure to ensue. Even better, Vince McMahon was in the building tonight. He was certain that without a key player to the equation, Vinny would scrap all plans for the Wyatt Family to take over Smackdown Live. That would give him the ins here. He was sure of it.

His grin broadening, he had to pat himself on the back. Finally, he was going to get to the point he needed to be. Sure, he had to step on people to get on the right path, but it wasn't like he was stepping on people who were important.

He nodded at Daniel Bryan as he passed him, who coolly returned the gesture. He was engaged in a conversation with Road Dogg. Daniel Bryan had been acting really off lately, he'd noticed. Maybe it was being away from his wife and child. Then again, Corbin was far away from his newborn baby, and he wasn't acting like a total asshole. 'Course, he wasn't convinced the kid was his anyways. His girlfriend wasn't any more faithful to him as he was to her.

He halted for a moment as he saw AJ Styles speaking in hushed tones to Bray Wyatt, which he was intrigued by. Those two hardly ever spoke, and the only thing they really had in common was Chara. AJ had already been very short with him since the night at the hotel bar, so he managed to avoid him in the meantime.

But the collaboration between the two men seemed too coincidental, given the events, to be done at random. Had Bray found out that Chara wouldn't be coming? Were they trying to re-plan their match without her in it? Were they thinking of ways to break the news to the boss? All scenarios seemed unlikely, but possible. To ensure he wouldn't be questioned by either man, he quickly turned around the corner out of sight.

"Hey, Corbin," Sami Zayn acknowledged him with a goofy smile. His eyes seemed to hold his gaze for just a second too long. It was almost as though he knew something was off...

Baron Corbin muttered a reply. There was no way in hell Sami could know of the evil thing he'd done to Chara. Was this guilt he was feeling? Couldn't be. Because the last thing he felt was guilt over some stupid little girl.

"By chance, have you seen Chara around? I know you two have been hanging out and stuff. I wanted to apologize to her," Sami kept it up. He was like an over-eager puppy, and now Baron Corbin was getting annoyed by the redhead. He was also becoming increasingly more paranoid. The way Sami spoke, it seemed like he was aware that the Lone Wolf had left Chara in Bumfuck, Egypt. No, there was no way.

"Nah, I haven't seen her. Don't care to, either," Baron stated bluntly.

"Yeah? That's too bad," Sami called to him as he turned away, heading towards Daniel Bryan and Road Dogg. "She really seemed to like you."

 _What the fuck is going on?_ Baron Corbin wondered to himself. He hadn't so much as acknowledged Zayn in the past, yet there he was...acting like he knew what the fuck was going on between Corbin and Chara. Not there _was_ anything going on.

* * *

 ** _The day before..._**

After a good, hysterical cry, Chara decided that she wasn't going to give Baron Corbin the power to ruin her life. No, if she was going to lose her job with the WWE, it would be by her own doing. Not some jealous asshole who didn't know happiness if it bit him right in the ass.

She initially knocked at the semi truck's door after playing every horror movie scene involving semi drivers in her head. Once she decided that he probably wasn't going to hurt her, she wiped the streaked mascara from her cheeks and boldly waved at him when he peeked through his window, looking down at her.

The truck driver was grumpy at first, but after she explained that her ride had dumped her off to walk to Arizona, he lost some of his bitterness. He was, unfortunately, heading in the other direction and wouldn't be able to offer her much of a ride. He sheepishly admitted he still had to make a deadline yet that day, but had to stop and nap.

"That's what the road does to yeh when yer an old man," he claimed, his broken teeth and white hair a tell-tale sign that he was far past his prime.

He did try to radio nearby trucks to see if anyone would be able to offer her a lift, but that was a dead end. Chara was beginning to lose hope. He offered to drive her to a bigger city, but it would be in the opposite direction that she was heading. She asked if he knew whether or not there was an airport nearby, but of course he didn't know. It was also her luck that he didn't have a GPS attached to his windshield, because he was "too old for that shit." She would've been able to find out if there was an airport easily.

Regardless, she didn't have much an option. She gave him the tiny bit of paper money she had, accepting a ride in the complete opposite direction. It was either that, or she'd be walking for who knew how long. At least this way, she'd have a standing chance at getting to the show on time.

For about half an hour or so, the drive was quiet. Neither of them spoke to one another, and neither of them had anything in common anyways. They'd exchanged formalities, and that was as much information as they'd passed. His name was Benjamin, but went by Ben or Benny for short. He couldn't understand why her name would be Chara, and not Charlotte or Charlene.

 _"Didn't yer parents_ _look at a baby book?"_

Needless to say, Chara was excited when he finally pulled in to a nearby fuel station. She thanked him again before jumping from the truck, anxious to get into the building and find food of any kind.

The workers were all kind, though a few raised their eyebrows at her giant, overstuffed bags. She told them that she had hit some car troubles in the city over, and was kindly taken this far by an old, hard-of-hearing truck driver with no sense of humor. After that, they warmed to her; offering her a cup of coffee on the house while she got hold of someone. She gladly accepted it. Even though it tasted mediocre, the warm liquid was welcomed after the awful day she'd been having so far.

She sat up at a snack bar, which looked out the giant front window of the gas station. She'd picked up some nutritious snacks in the form of Doritos, a Slim Jim, and an overpriced Clif Bar. She hated using her credit card on such a small purchase, but her stomach was roaring with hunger and she didn't have much other choice after paying Ben. She was also trying to balance and prop her phone up at just the right angle so she would get any hint of a service signal. She was so busy holding her phone in various positions over her head that she hadn't realized that it was near dying. So, when it did, she cursed under her breath. She'd have to go through all of her bags in public just to find her goddamn charger. How embarrassing!

She looked up at the clock that was directly above her head, sighing as she recognized that she probably wasn't going to get to Arizona in time. Just as those thoughts crossed her mind, a shiny, pearl-white vehicle pulled into the station. It was quite different than the old, rusted trucks around it. It wasn't from this redneck town, and she was certain of it.

She watched a man get out of the driver's side, wearing a simple blue baseball cap to keep his face hidden. She observed someone in the front seat as well: a woman with long hair, big sunglasses, and her phone in hand...

"Oh my fucking god, yes!" Chara whispered to herself. She looked around to make sure nobody had heard her swear, but all the workers were busy with their computers and helping the truck drivers weigh in.

She was so happy, she nearly floated outside to the man in the blue cap. She knew he'd seen her, as his blue eyes darted to her feet. However, he certainly didn't want to acknowledge her. She supposed he expected her to be a creep. But she wasn't about to let that discourage her. She'd just been blessed by some otherworldly being. What were the chances that some colleagues of hers would be fueling up at the same station she was stranded at?

"Um...hi," she said awkwardly.

"You got a marker?" he asked, trying to hide the tiny bit of annoyance in his voice.

"I...no," Chara bit her lip, confused for a moment. He still hadn't made eye contact with her. Then it dawned on her that he probably thought she was a crazed WWE fan, hoping to get an autograph.

He was about to reply, but the woman in the passenger's seat opened her door and stepped out. "Chara?" she called out, squinting behind her sunglasses. She pushed them up on top of her head, wrinkling her nose. "What are you doing _here_? Smackdown is like...tomorrow."

"I know," Chara laughed awkwardly. She was certain this was a dream. She lightly pinched herself to make sure she wasn't.

"Don't worry about me," she told her. "What are you guys doing here? I thought everyone would be long gone by now."

"I had a business meeting for Birdiebee," Nikki responded nonchalantly. "John is always all over the place. So we were able to travel together."

"I'm really, really glad that you guys are here," Chara breathed a small sigh of relief. "I was getting ready to sign my termination papers for missing the show."

Nikki Bella looked her up and down, and Chara couldn't help but feel like a troll in comparison to Nikki. Even though she was just sitting in the car, she wore a light jumpsuit and wedged sandals that probably costed more than Chara's whole wardrobe. That, she supposed, were just some perks of being with John Cena.

John Cena finally raised his head to look at her, inquisitive as well. "What _are_ you doing here, Chara?" he asked, and Chara was actually shocked that he recognized her, let alone knew her name at all.

"It's a really long story," she said. "I won't trouble you with the details. If you guys don't mind taking me to the nearest airport, though, I would be happy to wire you some money for the cost of-"

"Oh, no honey," Nikki held up a finger to silence her. "No way are we taking you to an airport. It's going to be way too hard to get on a flight last minute. John and I will just let you ride along with us. Besides, we're heading that way, too. I live there, and John's got to be at the show tonight. And, girl, knock it off with the wiring money nonsense. Everyone knows that only the scram artists use Western Union."

Chara bit her lip, wanting to correct Nikki but also wanting to cry with happiness. She had never, ever been so lucky in her entire life. Although she'd gotten off to a fairly rocky start with the Fearless Nikki by not joining the cast of Total Divas, she was still offering her a helping hand in such an awful circumstance.

John smiled at Nikki, catching Chara's eye. He clearly wanted to correct her _scram artist_ verbiage as well, but instead, he just let it go as he gave a small chuckle. Though he looked much older in real life than on the screen, Chara still saw the handsome, boyish charm that Nikki obviously adored. Together, the two of them were a goddamn beautiful couple.

"Under one condition," John finished putting fuel in the tank, hanging the nozzle back into the holster.

"Joooohn," Nikki whined. "Don't scare her away."

"No, no. Don't worry, it's nothing bad. I really do want to hear about how you ended up here," he encouraged her, making a small gesture towards the old building. If he was turned off by the building's crumbling roof and faulty foundation, he didn't show it.

"It's really no big deal," Chara started. "Just bad luck."

"I bet it's an interesting story, though," John countered, and Nikki agreed excitedly. "Trust me, we'll have plenty of time."

So, after running back to the building to get her snacks and bags, John had opened the trunk of their SUV to cram her bags in as well. He had to re-position some of Nikki's designer luggage bags to make room for her ratty old one, but he did so without complaint. Chara would remember this moment forever, gratitude warming her heart for these two.

And so, they started driving, easing into conversation at first. John seemed very intrigued by her time with other companies, and then asked her about training with AJ Styles. Cena admitted that he was nervous about working with AJ at first, because AJ was the top guy from a different company. However, John changed his attitude quickly after discovering that AJ was both easy to work with, but extremely humble.

Chara expected him to question her about the photos and such, but he didn't. She knew that he was probably well-aware of all of it, but respected both her and AJ's privacy too much to inquire. She was really beginning to respect John, despite the well-known mess that he'd gotten into with Mickie James a long time ago. Chara decided that John had grown up a lot since then, and wouldn't hold his past behavior against him.

"Alright, so, tell me how you ended up in...Reedsville," John stated, noting the city that they'd just left. Chara gave a long breath, telling the two the entire story. She started with how she'd met Baron Corbin when she'd first started with the company, embarrassed that she hadn't known that he was a wrestler as well. How they'd bonded over playing pool. The little talks late at night, despite the warnings from Bray, AJ, Sami...well, from everyone.

"Yeah, AJ was really torn up that you were seeing Corbin," Nikki said after that portion of the story.

"What?" Chara was surprised to hear that coming from Nikki. Although AJ had all but admitted he wished he was with her, some things just weren't meant to be, no matter how badly she hoped for them.

"Well, yeah," Nikki shrugged, looking at her in the rearview mirror. "Everyone knows that when it comes to you, he totally loses his shit."

"Nicole," John warned gently. "Don't scare her away," he mocked, and she saw Nikki stick out her tongue at him. "My apologies for Nicole," John said smoothly to Chara. Chara awkwardly folded and re-folded her hands in her lap.

"Now, carry on," John urged her, keeping a steady speed as he cruised down the interstate.

And Chara told them everything. She told them about the hotel bar, about AJ punching Baron Corbin. About the pictures, about the humiliation she was facing. About how AJ's agents and admins and everything else he used hyped that the picture was a photoshop creation. She admitted that it wasn't, and Nikki gave a girlish screech that she "knew it!" John poked her in the ribs to get her to quiet down.

"I can't wait to tell Brie that I was right," she said. "Brie thinks its a fake, but I bet it's only because Daniel told her it was." Chara sat in the backseat quietly, allowing Nikki to continue on as though she wasn't there at all. She hadn't realized that her picture had become a talked-about subject among the performers, but it apparently had. Chara felt her stomach drop.

"I'm not going to take sides," John told them. "I understand why AJ is sticking to a made-up story on this one. So, you shouldn't feel like he is trying to disassociate himself with you, Chara. You know how vile and terrible reporters can be. The best way to keep them quiet is to shut them down. And while he's trying to quietly sever ties with his wife, the last thing he needs are slimy reporters pointing fingers at you."

Chara had a sudden lump in her throat. _Did he just say what I think he said?_

"Anyways, you're lucky that AJ is such a good guy," Nikki chimed in while Chara was still stewing over John's last comment. "Who knows what creepy Baron was going to do to you!"

"Well," Chara drawled slowly. "That gets to today's story." She told them that she foolishly brought Baron back into her life. She wondered aloud if she did that just because she'd felt so alone, or perhaps to spite AJ. Nikki _tsk-tskd_ at that, but Chara countered quickly, telling her that she honestly couldn't remember what had happened at the bar.

"Okay, but why would AJ lie about it?" Nikki played the devil's advocate. "I highly doubt he would make up that someone was trying to hurt you."

Chara could feel heat creep into her cheeks, realizing how stupid she looked. "I was thinking it was because he was just being jealous," she admitted, looking down at her now-scuffed fringe boots in total shame. She continued through the rest of the story, right down to Baron Corbin telling her that she was TNA trash, suddenly remembering scattered bits and pieces from the night he'd drugged her.

Nikki had gasped when Chara had revealed that Corbin claimed it "wouldn't have been rape" if he had slept with her that night. She was fuming so much, in fact, that she was looking up laws on her phone to prove that he was wrong. When she did, she read it out loud, noting that Chara couldn't have given consent given her state. She continued on cursing Baron Corbin, livid.

"Well, now you know," John offered. "I can't believe Baron Corbin would say such awful things to anyone. I understand he feels he deserves much more than he's getting, but the way he's decided to go about it really puts dishonor on his earned merits. Nobody deserves to be put through any of that, Chara. And I understand that you don't have any proof that Corbin did anything wrong, but at the very least, you should talk to Talent Relations."

"I kind of just want to forget about it forever," she replied. "You know, bury the hatchet."

"You're going to have to work with him every day," Cena reminded her.

"I know," Chara said. "I just am so sick of the drama. I should've expected it, coming here. But I never thought it would get this bad."

"Like being thrown to a pack of wolves," Nikki agreed. "Plus, people already knew who you were and how good you are."

John agreed. "You know, I heard that they're planning to push Baron Corbin. I don't want him to get away with all of this unscathed. I'll be sure to put a stop to that."

"John, don't meddle," Nikki scolded him.

"No, I'm going to meddle. I don't care what the internet writes about me. I don't care if they say I'm 'burying' talent, because in this case, I feel it's justified."

Nikki didn't push the issue any further, because everyone came to a silent agreement.

"And Chara, in the meantime, I want you to kill it at Smackdown tomorrow night. That will put him in his place."

* * *

 **What a saving grace! Did Chara make a mistake by telling the entire story to an outside party?  
**

 **Will Baron Corbin get what's coming to him?**

 **Do you think he'll be shocked to see Abby?**

 **Was he being ridden with guilt, or did everyone actually know that he'd left Chara in the middle of nowhere?**


	25. Fall

__**Tuesday, October 31, 2016: Smackdown Live; Halloween Edition**  
__

AJ Styles stood with Bray, talking over the details of their upcoming match for the evening. Rusev had been harboring an injury, so he had been replaced in the match last minute. Of course, the person who would be stepping in for the Bulgarian Brute would be Baron Corbin. AJ couldn't wait to step into the ring with him. He toyed with the idea of legitimately shooting on that asshole. And, after John Cena gave AJ a call, he _really_ wanted to. Corbin could use a few knocks to that thick skull.

Cena had called to let him know that he and Nikki were running late, but they'd be there soon. He'd also had given AJ some general direction to go over with Bray, and he was certain that those four could put on a fantastic match. But once AJ mentioned that Rusev would be replaced by Corbin tonight, John grew weirdly quiet.

As it turned out, Cena hadn't just called AJ to tell him to quickly coach Bray. Nope, it ended up being more than that. It seemed that John Cena, by some stroke of luck, had picked up Chara from a random gas station in the middle of a tiny town. The chances of that happening were astronomical. When AJ had asked Cena why the hell Chara had been so far away, all while knowing where she needed to be and when, John had hesitated to tell him.

"It's a long story," he'd said. "But, long story short, our friend Baron Corbin decided she wasn't worthy of her position in the company. And it seems to me, he's also quite jealous of yours. So in his feeble little brain, he decided that dumping her carcass in the middle of nowhere was the way to ensure that neither of you got in his way."

AJ was both in awe and annoyed. Despite everything, Chara had still found herself driving to the next town with fucking Baron Corbin! Wasn't the fact that he had intended to destroy the image she'd worked so hard to improve enough to drive her away? Yet at the same time, she managed to persevere. He'd kill to see Baron's face when she walked into the building, unharmed.

"But she'll make it to the show as well without any problems?" he'd asked. He knew she'd make it, surely; after all, she was with John. And AJ would admit that he trusted John to no ends.

"Of course she will, no worries about that," John replied simply. "She tried to get us to drop her off at an airport rather than intrude. Nice girl. Humble."

AJ drew a breath, thankful that she wouldn't have to be put on the chopping block for missing the show. He was also happy to hear that Cena liked her, because if he approved, he often let management know. That proved to be a good thing for many stars.

"Good," AJ said back, not wanting to give his feelings away quite yet. "WWE has some big plans tonight for her, it seems. You know, with the Halloween episode and all."

John gave a small laugh. "Of course, Kevin Dunn going with the theatrics. Well, I'm sure Baron will be put out once he sees that she's there. See you guys soon."

AJ was relieved. But, he found himself telling Bray what had happened to Chara, and why she wasn't there yet. Bray shook his head sadly, claiming that he'd warned her of Baron Corbin's intentions. AJ stated that _everyone_ had told Chara to watch her footing with Baron.

Still, Bray was obviously pissed that the Lone Wolf would go through such extreme measures to harm everything he'd been working so hard to achieve. Sami Zayn, in his ever-increasingly annoying presence, had been walking by while AJ and Bray talked in hushed tones. Sami had lingered slowly after hearing Chara's name, and eavesdropped. AJ had half a mind to tell him to fuck off, but decided that he had every right to know, too. After all, Sami had helped him care for the woman just a few weeks ago.

It was just a matter of time before the entire backstage knew what Corbin had done, but AJ didn't care. The last thing that douchebag should enjoy was a push, and if the right people heard of his misconduct, AJ knew that things would be tremendously halted for that monster.

As he went over the details of the match, he spotted Baron Corbin walking by. Bray had, too, and both of them stopped speaking altogether and stared at him. Baron sneered, but Sami Zayn was far too bold to let the Lone Wolf walk alone. At his heels, he greeted the much taller man. AJ had to give Sami props for being so bold, especially after he name-dropped Chara.

Baron's face was paled after Sami had chirped brightly that Chara had "really seemed to like" Baron Corbin, and Bray and AJ turned once again to each other, grinning.

"That kid has some steel balls," Bray remarked, watching Baron storm past everyone else as Sami cheerily stood next to Daniel Bryan.

* * *

 ** _Later that evening...  
_**

Baron Corbin stormed through the doors of the catering room, glad that the ass-chewing he'd just received by Road Dogg was over. How the fuck would that old bag of dirt know how to connect better with the fans than he did? The show was a slippery slope as it was; the ratings dropping each passing week. As head of Smackdown's creative team, Road Dogg was the last person who ought to be correcting anything Corbin said or did in the ring!

Bursting into the room, he immediately went to the long table set up at the front that contained fruit, sandwiches, water, and coffee. He wasn't particularly hungry, but he had to do something to keep his mind off from that prior conversation. He wanted to go smash his fist in the wall. Getting approached like that definitely didn't set someone up for the main-event status. However, there was some glistening hope: Dogg had told Baron Corbin that there were necessary last-minute changes to the main event, and that he'd be stepping in for Rusev. This was fantastic news to Corbin.

"If you listen to what I'm telling you, Baron, you can be a star in that match. Ruthless aggression from you is all we need to see," Road Dogg had tried to coach him, and Baron bit his tongue. He then went over the match with him, reminding him to really "turn your character up a few notches."

Baron had shrugged off that stupid remark, but was intrigued by the plans for the match. Yes, Abigail was to involve herself. Although Corbin and Bray would get the upset win, he'd attack Bray after the match to set up a smaller feud. This was a step in the right direction, he thought. If he could overshadow Bray in their feud, it was likely the creative team would sour on him and change direction.

To close the show, Abby would avenge her brother after Baron hit him with the End of Days.

He was going to ask Dogg what the plan would be if Abigail didn't show, but thought better of it. The last thing he needed was WWE officials inquiring what he knew about her disappearance.

Lost in his own thoughts, he hadn't noticed that the entire room had gone awkwardly silent. Looking around, it seemed that all eyes were on him.

"What the fuck are you looking at?" he growled at one of the Usos, he wasn't sure which.

The short Samoan man rolled his eyes as he headed off to a vacant table. Baron wrinkled his nose, turning on his heel to find a spot of his own. He noticed a small crowd around one table, and he started towards the group, interested to see what was going on. But as he did, the chattering fell eerily silent. Nikki Bella, Naomi, and Nattie all turned their eyes towards him. Nikki gave a brilliant smile, but the other two frowned.

And then he saw her. The fucking two-tone hair that was messy and ill-groomed was a telltale sign that something hadn't gone quite the way he'd anticipated.

"Hey, Baron," Chara chirped, offering him a warm smile. She took a drink from her piping hot coffee, her eyes narrowing as she did. "Ready for our match tonight?"

Baron Corbin replied, but he wasn't sure what he'd actually said. It was like he had a sock stuffed in his mouth, and whatever he'd said was incoherent and stupid.

"What's wrong, Bar-Bar?" Nikki crooned, her seemingly new pet name for Corbin laced with venom. "You look like you've seen a ghost!" Baron couldn't offer any words to her, the shock overwhelming. How in the hell had Chara made it in time for the show? With time to spare? He had been so sure. So certain that he'd caused enough of a hiatus on Chara's travel plans. _What had he done wrong?_

"Probably because he has," Naomi tossed over her shoulder as she headed to the table that one of the Usos occupied. "Abby is a ghost, after all."

* * *

The match had been a good bout between the teams. Somehow, the four men were able to put on a good show despite the animosity between them. Perhaps that was why they had such good chemistry. Baron was doing well using his power moves, flattening AJ Styles with ferocious clotheslines and knocking Cena's head to the mat with tremendous boots. He had plenty of reasons to be angry, and the aggression that Road Dogg had asked of him was very easy to tap into.

Of course, the offense was short-lived as John Cena made a hot tag to AJ. AJ was suddenly flying off from ropes, making Baron Corbin dizzy. Bray was knocked out of the ring right now, and Corbin would have to make up for his partner's absence until the lights went out, signaling for Sister Abigail. Just as AJ had Baron locked into a Calf Crusher, he saw Bray slowly get up from his resting spot, laughing maniacally as the cameramen swarmed him. He slowly rolled into the ring, much to the dismay of the referee.

The referee tried to tell Bray to get out of the ring, but he just laughed, falling to his knees with his arms spread open, facing the entrance ramp. And, on cue, the lights went out.

The loud whispers rustled the arena, growing increasingly loud as they always did. Tonight, they were almost to the point of annoying. The titantron played a sepia-colored video of a girl running through the woods, focusing on her muddy, bare feet. The girl in the video stopped suddenly. She was a young girl, probably meant to be a young version of Abigail. Panicked, the girl in the video let out a gasp.

 _"I'm here,"_ she whispered, and Chara now stood in front of AJ, wearing her robe. AJ shook his head, clearly frustrated by the invasion. She stood between him and Baron, who he was just about to finish off. There was a bright spotlight on her, and the rest of the arena was still eerily dark. AJ yelled at her to move, but she stood rooted instead to her spot. Out of frustration, he lunged at her. But as he did, the spotlight turned off. Moments later, she stood behind him, the bright light turning back on quickly. It was illuminating her face much like a ghost's. AJ stood confused, hands on his hips.

Slowly, he turned around to face Abby. He lunged at her once more, grabbing on to Abigail. But as he had her in his grasp, a girlish giggle plugged through the sound system as once again, the young lady disappeared into the darkness. The lights turned back on, and instead of Abby in his arms, his own partner stood in his hold.

"What are you doing?" John Cena audibly asked AJ, and AJ let go of him at once. He tried to explain what happened, but John told him he was losing it, that nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Baron and Bray had recovered, both managing to hit the pair with their finishers. Being the legal man, Baron pinned AJ for the 3-count while Bray Wyatt continued to smile like a crazed lunatic on the ring apron.

Baron enjoyed the win, but didn't like that he'd been overshadowed by Chara. No matter, he would put Bray off for awhile. The pair celebrated, the referee raising their arms in victory. However, Baron quickly dropped his hands, sucker-punching his partner blindly. The ref scooted out of the way as Baron stomped on Bray, shouting at him to leave him alone. Ignoring the stripes, Baron gave Bray a devastating End of Days.

And again, the lights went off. Avenging Bray, Chara now was on the top rope, ready to take out Baron Corbin with a body press. Corbin, though, saw the blatant fear in her eyes. He recalled that she told him once she was afraid of high flying maneuvers from the top rope because she'd gotten injured that way in the past. Seeing this as a golden opportunity, he whipped around to face her, hatred for the woman filling him. _She hesitated_. She'd made this too easy.

He caught her, albeit awkwardly. He was supposed to catch her, but he'd made it look like she'd actually knocked him off his feet. Stumbling backwards, he heard Chara screech as he purposely botched the move. She crashed down hard, her right shoulder hitting the mat with a loud, sickening thump.

"Whoops, sorry," Baron muttered, the cold tone icy towards her as she stayed down, her other arm snaking around herself to hold her shoulder. Medics came rushing to her side, and all eyes were on her. Bray ran towards him as he, too, stood transfixed by Chara's injury. _My, my...that_ did _look bad_. He smirked. She was likely going to be out of action for awhile.

He'd outdone himself this time. Even though his original plan didn't work, he'd been able to hurt her and take her out of the picture. She'd hesitated her jump, and he could easily tell anyone who wanted to know that _she_ had actually botched. It looked like she had, anyways. He'd be in the clear.

He took Bray's Sister Abigail maneuver quickly, ignoring Bray as he swooped down to kiss his forehead, muttering _"fuck you"_ before swinging him into the mat. Obviously, Bray knew that Baron had dropped Chara purposely. But of course, there wasn't any proof of that.

Abby was being helped out of the ring, Bray quickly sliding out of the ring to assist her as well. He muttered something to her as he tossed a look back at Baron, who still lay in the center of the ring.

* * *

"Alright, Chara. If I pull backwards, does this bother you?"

"Fuckkkk! Yes!" Chara wailed, her eyes stinging as the athletic trainer pulled her arm back gently. Megan _tsked_ at her use of foul language, but didn't criticize her for using it. After all, things weren't looking very good for the ghostlike girl.

Bray stood off to the side, hands on his head as he pulled at his hair. He was clearly angry, but feared saying something out loud about the events that he'd just witnessed. After all, there was no proof that Baron Corbin had intentionally harmed Chara. If he speculated that, and it got around, things wouldn't go too well for him, either. He'd likely be written back into the midcard if he rubbed officials the wrong way.

AJ Styles knocked on the frame of the open door, his eyes narrowing as he watched the athletic trainer type something up into her chromebook.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked, ignoring Megan's glare as he entered before anyone answered.

Chara didn't speak, but Bray walked immediately towards AJ. Finally, the curses began to stream from him, expletives rolling off his tongue like it was his second language. Megan shot them a nasty look, but stayed quiet. To keep from being overheard by any other passers-by, Bray lowered his volume, a hard whisper filling the room:

"He fucking dropped her, on purpose! I saw it with my own damned eyes. I can't fucking believe him. To intentionally injure someone in the ring, that's just sickening! Who would do that?" Bray went on a rampage, and AJ nodded slowly, agreeing with him.

"Problem is," AJ pointed out, "Baron knows it's easy to blame Chara. The botch can go either way, and even though we all know that he fell backwards with the full-intention of hurting her, he's going to tell everyone that she knocked him down in a risky jump."

Chara could hear them, though, and hated that they were speaking about her like she wasn't even there. "There's no way he couldn't have caught me. I mean, yeah, I was hesitant...but, ow!" she yelped when Megan pushed her shoulder, a loud click sounding as she popped it back into place.

"Well, I'll have to go grab Dr. Chris, my dear," Megan said quietly, knowing that this wasn't a good outcome for Chara. "You definitely dislocated it on the landing. Luckily, I don't think you've torn anything. That's a good thing, too, because surgery would put you on the shelf for quite awhile," she got up, snatching her computer as she told Chara to wait there, and she'd fetch Dr. Amann.

Bray excused himself, letting them know that he was going to find JoJo and that he'd meet them back in the same room to check on Chara before they left for the evening. It was getting late already, and Chara looked forward to getting the hell out of the arena. But even still, it looked unlikely at this point that she would be traveling to the next city with the rest of the roster. More likely than not, she'd be sent home to rest for at least a week before doing physical therapy a couple times a week following that. The fury she had for Baron Corbin grew in the pit of her belly. How dare he try to shorten her career?

 _The only person that should have a say on when my career is over is me!_ she thought bitterly, ignoring AJ as he wandered over to sit across from her. He now occupied the chair Megan had been sitting in, scooting it closer until he could touch her. He held out his hands, and she took them, glancing up at him with anger and panic etched on to her face.

"The only reason he did that to you was to get to the championship belt, Chara," AJ said quietly, closing his hands over hers. Her hands were icy cold, a nice combination to his sweaty palms. "You have to remember that. His only interest is getting to the top, and because he's fucking insane he is willing to do whatever it takes. You are just caught in the crossfire."

"So, I'm just the dumb girl that goes along with it, every step of the way?" Chara muttered, lowering her gaze. "Don't answer that. I was so stupid and delusional. And, it's my fault that I ended up the way I did. If it wasn't for John and Nikki, I would never had made it tonight. I'd be packing my bags and heading home for good."

"I wouldn't have let that happen," AJ leaned over, tucking her matted hair behind her ear. It sprang free quickly, and Chara laughed.

 _Leave it to me to ruin the moment._

"Hairspray," she said quietly, trying to ease the tension in the air. "It has a mind of its own." She wondered if he had planned on kissing her. The signs were all there, but he didn't deliver. Then again, she'd been such an asshole to him, she supposed that he didn't really have much reason to want to.

AJ smiled at her one again. "I couldn't thank John enough for taking the time to get you here tonight," he said. "Oh, yeah, he called and told me about everything."

Chara nodded, realizing that people _had_ been awfully kind to her upon her arrival. Not just because she'd come with Nikki Bella, cementing their friendship to the rest of the roster. People had obviously heard that Baron had tried to fuck things up for her royally.

"He still managed to force himself into the main event picture, though," Chara reminded him, pointing to her lame shoulder. It was radiating heat and pain, and she idly hoped that she'd be prescribed something that could take the edge off. As it limply lay at her side now, she wouldn't be able to move it without crying.

"Don't be so sure. He forgets that Abby and Bray are the masters of promos. Not to mention, anyone can come out in a robe with the hood up. Nobody would know the difference," AJ assured her. "Besides, John already doesn't like Corbin. I'm sure he is well-aware that the botch wasn't your fault. Don't worry about Bray losing his footing on the ladder. Everyone is pushing for him to keep going."

After a small sigh of relief, Chara met AJ's gaze once again.

"Now, are you done with Baron for good?" AJ asked, his eyes staring into hers, unblinking. "Now you see that we weren't trying to keep you from being happy? We were only trying to keep you from getting hurt."

Chara lowered her eyes once again to AJ's boot, focusing on the P1 logo. "You have to understand my perspective, though," she couldn't look him in the face. She talked instead to his boot. "Why would you ask me to trust you when I'm still coughing up the water from the last time you let me drown?"

"Because you know that this isn't over between us," AJ mumbled, using two fingers to force her chin up to look up at him once again. "And I'm sorry for running away from you, thinking that I could make the way I feel disappear. I'm not going to do that again...I'm not going to _lose_ you again," AJ leaned forward, and Chara could feel his breath on her lips as he grew nearer...

"Well, isn't that cute," Baron Corbin stood in the doorway, phone in hand. He turned it around to face them, capturing a very clear shot of them. "Gotcha," he said simply, a devilish smile broadening on his face. AJ stood up at once, his face growing red as he stepped closer.

"What's wrong, AJ?" Baron mocked him, taking a step backwards. He still towered over AJ, and he held his ground against him. "You want to lie and tell everyone that the photo of you and Chara's titties was fake? Well, champ, this photo proves that it wasn't."

* * *

 _ **Oh no! We get a little bit of fluff, they almost get their shit together, and Baron Corbin seems to be always lurking around the corner.**_

 _ **Will Chara be sent home with a harrowing injury? Will Baron post the very incriminating photo all over social media, or is it blackmail? Will he get approached for dropping Chara on her shoulder?**_

 _ **Let me know your thoughts, guys. Thanks so much for reading. Hoping to update again this week!**_


	26. Ashamed

__**Tuesday, October 31, 2016: Following Smackdown Live; Halloween Edition**  
__

"Alright, gentlemen, that's enough," Shane McMahon appeared in the doorway, dismissing the animosity between Baron Corbin and AJ Styles. AJ respectably stepped away, putting his hands on his hips as he bit his tongue. There was so much he wanted to say, but doing that in front of McMahon wasn't really the way to go about it.

"I'm glad that you're here, actually, Baron. I wanted a quick word with you," Shane gave a sympathetic smile Chara's way, and AJ had a feeling that they were going to try questioning Baron regarding the in-ring botch. AJ already knew exactly the story Corbin was going to tell. Unfortunately, there was no proof that the injury had been intentional.

AJ made a mental note to give Cena a call. If anyone had the power to take away someone's push to the top these days, it was John. If Baron was heartless enough to hurt a pretty, charming, and wise young woman, who knew what else he'd do?

Baron sneered at AJ as he followed the younger McMahon, but didn't acknowledge Chara at all. He stuffed his phone into the pocket of the jeans he'd changed into already, following Shane into the hallway.

AJ raked his hands through his head, surprising himself as he still wore his vinyl gloves. He turned back to Chara, wanting to pick things off where they left off but also knowing that the turn of events didn't really leave room for the romantic banter.

"I can't fucking believe him. Just snapping photos of us like that?" he shook his head, annoyed.

Chara met his gaze. "I know," she replied quietly. Much to his surprise, she was teary-eyed. Obviously, her emotions were running high as it was. Yet he couldn't help but feel like maybe he'd done something wrong. Her normally pretty face wore a sad, ragged expression. The Chara that he fell in love with wasn't there. The girl clutching her shoulder looked cloudy and uncertain.

And it was all because of him. Guilt pinged in the pit of his stomach. _I've made her this way._

"If I'm being honest, AJ, the way you reacted was kind of fucked up. I don't know what to believe when it comes to what you're telling me. You make me feel like there's hope. That maybe one day, despite all of our issues, we'll could actually be able to be together. Yet as soon as someone comes in, threatening your status with the company, you are ready to brush me aside like I don't matter much. Are you embarrassed, AJ?"

"Embarrassed of you? No, Chara, I'm not embarrassed of you," AJ offered.

"Then what is it? Why are you letting Baron Corbin get under your skin so easily? When the rumors of us being a thing first happened... I mean, I get it because it was bad publicity between you, me, and Sami. But you went ahead and denied anything. Then, when the picture of us surfaced after the night Corbin decided to drug me, your publicist made it very clear it was a fake. And now that Baron has solid proof that there's much more going on between us than anyone thinks, you're in his face, ready to knock his teeth down his throat? I understand on one hand why you're upset. But, AJ, from my point of view, it looks like you're ashamed of me. I feel like I'm not good enough for you. I'm sorry that I'm not a dazzling debutante. I'm sorry that I would never in a million years spend an entire paycheck on my clothes. I'm sorry that I will never be the kind of girl you want me to be."

"Chara, that's not what I want from you at all. It's messy-"

"Don't give me that shit," Chara rolled her eyes, flicking her wrist as she shooed him away. "Until you figure out what you want from me, or 'til you can figure out why you don't want me for good, I think you should just leave me alone." Chara crossed her arms, turning away from AJ. AJ opened his mouth to tell her to relax, but just as he did, the doctor stepped into the doorway as well. He dismissed AJ, shaking his head when he saw Chara in the chair.

"I feel as though I've just seen you," the doctor said when he lay eyes on the young woman. AJ's eyes flashed toward him in anger, but he realized he probably didn't mean anything negative from it. After all, he had been the one to take the reports when GHB was found in Chara's system.

As badly as he wanted to hang around, AJ realized he was being awkward. Although parting ways wasn't what he wanted to do, he decided it would be best to leave them be for awhile. But, he still had so much unfinished business with her. He really hoped he'd be able to sort out this mess soon...

* * *

 _Wednesday, November 1, 2016; 2:13 AM: Bridgeport, West Virginia  
_

Chara unlocked her home carefully, the front steps creaking as she made her way up to the front. She flicked on the lights, the lonely home illuminating all around her. It was just as empty as when she'd left it, and she was isolated from the outside world all over again. The last time she was home hadn't been exactly a fun endeavor, and she supposed this two-week stretch wouldn't be a delight either.

She was exhausted, but wide awake. So, the first thing she did was dig around in the depths of her refrigerator for a beer that had to have been there since the summertime. No matter, it would do. At the very least, it would help calm her nerves as she aimed to relax.

Luckily, just as Megan had predicted, she hadn't torn anything. Her shoulder _was_ dislocated, and the doctor had sent her home for two weeks with different stretches and such to regain strength. He'd given her his personal cell phone number so that if she noticed it getting worse, or numbness in her fingers, she could call him immediately.

Talent relations had gotten her a plane and a taxi to her home straight away, and she was eternally grateful for that. It would have been a giant pain in the ass having to set all of the plans to head home first thing in the morning. They'd also told her they'd keep in touch regarding her storylines and the status of Bray. When she briefly spoke to Daniel Bryan before he departed the arena, he assured her that he'd do everything he could to keep them in the upper echelon of the card.

During her ride in the taxi, she saw that Hunter had e-mailed her. He'd told her that he'd heard rumor that she hadn't actually missed the jump, but was intentionally dropped. He promised to look into that.

He also told her that he hoped she would take the two weeks off not just to take care of her injury, but to care for her mind and well-being as well:

 _"It is a tough business to be in, and we often overlook it when things aren't right within our heads. Sure, our bodies take the beating; but our minds need peace, too. Take the two weeks not just to recuperate, but to find serenity so that when you do return, you do so with the same ferocity as when you began._

 _The last thing I hope for is for your run with this company to end as a "could've been." You still have a long career ahead of you, if you choose so. Keep in mind, I too have had plenty of struggles thrown my way during my tenure. If you ever need to bring up concerns, do not hesitate to contact me or Steph. We are both rooting for you, in your corner."_

Chara took a swig from her amber-colored beer as she re-read the e-mail once again. She was happy that all hope hadn't been lost on the Wyatt family. Though, she supposed, that it wouldn't be all that big of a surprise if they would eventually be written into a corner by the creative department. Then again, if anyone was willing to fight for it, it would be Bray.

It was also kind of nice to see that, despite acquiring her simply because Vince McMahon wanted to rub it into AJ's face, Hunter still saw something in her worth keeping around. She had a weird dejavu feeling in that moment, recalling when she was sitting her kitchen drinking a beer as Triple H was trying to sell her on signing with the company. He had been exasperated and hopeful, and she had been short with him. But now, looking back, she realized that he'd been sent there by his father-in-law with less-than-professional intentions...

Swirling the last bit of beer around before finishing it off, she pushed all thoughts of Hunter out of her mind. She had, as he had said, plenty of time to ease her mind. Although last time she was home, she was bitter towards the lonesome, empty hallways, she felt better this time. Between Baron Corbin and his insanity, Sami Zayn, Mandy Rose and...Styles, she needed a minute to re-fucking-lax. Deciding that she was ready to succumb to sleep, she slowly made her way to her bedroom, tearing through her drawers until she found her coziest pajama bottoms.

Was it normal to hate someone as much as she hated AJ? Was it normal to love him at the same time? Even if she wanted to move on, until things were figured out with AJ, she would never be able to be in a relationship. It wouldn't be fair to anyone. She would never be able to put anyone above AJ, and that both worried and frustrated her. At this point though, she thought, they didn't stand a chance.

Feeling deflated and uneasy, she gingerly slipped into her giant bed. Pulling her comforter over her head and constructing a pillow-made cushion for her slinged arm, she drifted off quickly into a light, uneasy sleep, filled with bittersweet memories and worries of being alone.

* * *

 _That same day..._

AJ had only one house show during the course of the week, and he was comforted that it would be alongside his good friend, John Cena. He hadn't tried to contact Chara since he'd left her in the doctor's care the day before, but he had a fair idea of how things had turned out. Next week's Smackdown script had been re-written and e-mailed to all of the talent under the URGENT marking, and he'd heard plenty of whispers that Baron Corbin and Bray Wyatt would be dueling over the number one contendership for the title.

But, if AJ had anything to say about it, he would ensure that Baron's push was put to an end. So he was looking forward to working with John the next couple days.

AJ looked forward to a three-day break after his performance tonight, but would have to attend a signing at Toys-R-Us for a release of his new figure. As much as he loved the business, he was beginning to wonder how much more gas he had left in his tank. At this point, he felt he'd accomplished everything in the wrestling world. He'd given his life and blood and soul, but had no time to settle down and find other hobbies. He didn't even know what else he actually enjoyed doing.

His mind traveled back to Chara, who despite being very capable, was ready to hang up the boots and focus on designing shoes. He had the urge to call her, but she'd told him that until he knew exactly what he wanted with her, he should stay away.

In his heart, he knew what he wanted. But until his divorce was finalized, he really didn't want to risk anything. He could just imagine the bad publicity if people caught wind that he was seeing a co-worker, despite being legally married...

Another ping of guilt flitted through him as he remembered Chara's fallen face last night. She felt like he was ashamed of her. She worried he was trying constantly to cover up their relationship even though they both knew their feelings or one another were very real and ran quite deep. Of course that wasn't the truth. He understood where she was coming from. At this point, they should stop lying and trying to cover up what they are and what they were. He knew that. But he worried about his public image as well...

"Hey, champ," John Cena gave him a hearty smile as he met him backstage. The show wasn't going to happen for another hour or so, so it was a surprise to see that John was there already. As of late, he'd been quite busy and only attended the shows when absolutely necessary before fleeing and heading off to his next scheduled outing.

AJ gave him a short, cordial greeting, letting him know he was glad they'd be working together alongside Dean Ambrose and James Ellsworth for the evening. He only half-listened as John gave him a run-down of a few spots he was interested in trying out. AJ knew he was distracted, but didn't want to let on that he wasn't fully into the match that evening.

Of course, John could sense something was off immediately.

"What's wrong, Styles?" he said after explaining how he'd execute an Attitude Adjustment from the top rope. "I can tell you're busy in your own head."

Normally, AJ would nonchalantly blow off the question, forcing himself to re-engage the issue at hand. He supposed, though, that this was as good a time as any to confide in someone who had lived the business just as he had. If anyone would know how to handle the marriage-divorce-Baron-Chara situation, it was probably John. AJ was annoyed at himself though. He'd done so well at keeping his feelings wrapped up for so long, that he felt uneasy admitting that it was weighing heavily on his mind.

"The botch last night..." he began. And John shook his head adamantly, a knowing look on his face.

"Baron Corbin was completely out of line. I was the one who told Shane that Chara was not the one to blame. Unfortunately, the cameras weren't able to catch great angles. It could go either way. Either she accidentally knocked him off his feet, which sent her straight to the mat...or he knocked _himself_ off his feet, sending her straight to the mat. You and I know which one is the truth, but the management wants to give him the benefit of the doubt there."

"Of course they do," AJ breathed, rolling his eyes. "How many fuck-ups before they realize that someone is a flat-out danger?"

John shrugged in response. "If it makes you feel any better, I filled out an extensive incident report with everyone that matters involving her being forced to walk from another city because of his dumb ass. She's a good kid, and she doesn't deserve the shit she's gotten as of late." Although he didn't say it, AJ couldn't help but feel like John regarded _him_ as a problem lately.

"It does make me feel better," he responded quietly. "Listen...I really need advice on something."

"Something wrestling related, or Chara related?" John retorted, a small glimmer in his eye. At first he felt like Cena was judging him. But, AJ quickly realized, he was actually poking fun at him!

"Chara related," AJ mumbled back, heading down the hallway. He had to find something to drink or eat before getting involved into this kind of discussion. John followed him down each turn before finally, they were in a partially empty room with a pop machine shining brightly in the corner. Giving a quick glance around, AJ decided nobody _in_ the room posed any immediate issues and he could talk freely to John. He sat down, motioning for his friend to do the same.

"I fucking love her," he said finally after looking at his hands for a long while. "But I don't want to lose everything I've worked so hard for trying to prove it to her while I'm still..." he trailed off, his eyes raising up to meet John's icy gaze.

"I've been there, AJ," he stated matter-of-fact. "I've lived through it. First things first, you need to have your lawyer come up with a stipulation that she _cannot_ speak to the press regarding you. That will likely come with a price, but just as Bray has been learning, it is the right way to go about it. You will be able to re-gain any money just by protecting yourself."

"Alright," AJ nodded slightly. "And what about Chara? She's beginning to think that I'm ashamed of her."

"Are you?"

"Of course not. I just don't want any more bad publicity than I've already gotten."

John smiled a little. "I see. Well, if you have it set up so that your ex isn't able to make any malicious statements about you, things should be okay as far as pursuing little Abby. Remember, if your ex-wife does try to run your name through the mud, she won't get a grab at any money at all. She can pretty much kiss the idea of alimony goodbye."

"And what about around here...do you think it would cause a negative reaction?"

John gave a short laugh. "Okay, champ. First of all, why are you so worried about what your colleagues think of your personal relationships? You are obviously one of the greatest to ever step foot into a ring. That should be enough for you. Don't worry yourself over the petty things. Do you think I worry about people's thoughts about my relationship with Nicole? Hell no. At the end of the day, I know that I love her and I wouldn't have it any other way."

AJ stewed over this for a moment. Why was he so worried about what people said about his relationship with Chara? Back in the day, it was very taboo. But nowadays, people probably didn't care at all. He reverted back to her, asking if he was embarrassed of her because he tried so hard to cover up the relationship they had. It went well beyond trainer/trainee, and everyone knew that.

"My guess, AJ, is that people will finally be relieved that you two finally figured it out and got together," John said after a long moment of silence. It was as though he'd read the champion's mind.

"She's going to be annihilated once fans find out," AJ thought out loud. " _'She's been given this opportunity because of AJ'_...I can see it already..."

"Fair point," John agreed. "Nikki has been dealing with that dumb talk for a long time now. Truth is, she's worked hard to get where she is. She just happens to be dating one of the biggest names in the business. But you know what I tell her? Let them talk. At the end of the day, Nicole has plenty of credentials that she's achieved all on her own. The same will be said for Chara. "

"How long did it take to be ready for such a public relationship?" AJ questioned, his eyes narrowing. Although he knew Chara wasn't likely to push for a very public relationship as his dear friend Nikki probably had, he wanted to tread carefully.

"To be honest, a lot of it was because of that show," John admitted, referring to Total Divas. "Relationships make for ratings. Two thumbs up for drama. It really forced us to put our relationship on display. But it also made me realize that she is the exact type of woman I could see myself being with forever. Funny, driven, smart...beautiful. I look back now and realize Liz was a simple solution. Since our divorce, I've realized that the person you're meant to be with isn't necessarily the easiest to be tied to, but the one worth being tied to. Does that help you out?"

AJ nodded, agreeing with John.

"I don't know how to prove to her that I'd take it all back if I could," he sulked. "I wish I could. Wish I'd just admitted that yeah, we were a thing and we loved each other and fuck what other people thought," AJ toyed with a crack on the table absent-minded, deep in thought.

"Young and stupid," John replied brightly. "I'm willing to bet if you told her how you felt, you could patch it up. In my opinion, you should at least give it a try. And actually, that's not just my opinion, that's pretty much the entire locker room," John smirked. That caught AJ's attention, and he looked up at his friend with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah," John replied with a goofy grin. "Everyone is just waiting for you to quit being miserable apart and try being happy. Together." John gave him a small wink before getting up from his chair, giving a stretch as he did so. "What I think you ought to do is go to her. She's probably home right now, feeling sorry for herself because she isn't here. It's time to change the course of this. Your problems, your issues, your ups and downs...I say you should own up to them all and tell her exactly what you want. If it's causing you this much grief, you might as well attack it head-on."

And, AJ realized as he got up from his seat, John Cena was right. He'd been running from the what-ifs and humiliation for so long, maybe he should try a different approach. Maybe he should think more about what he was really feeling, and less about what everyone else expected him to feel.

But, as anxious as he was to find her and finally tell her his deepest thoughts and feelings, he had to get through this match first. These fans paid good money to see them put on a show, after all.


	27. Revisited

_**Thursday, November 2, 2016: Bridgeport, West Virginia**_

The amount of text messages received from her friends and colleagues were both surprising and overwhelming. Pair that with the outpouring of positive vibes via Twitter, and for the first time, Chara felt like people actually gave a flying fuck about her well-being. This was good, she supposed, given the last time she was home had seen her at a low point.

When she'd returned home the night before, she felt hopeful. She had the support of Hunter, and she knew it. The company was investing in her, despite missing time with an unfortunate injury. Yet, today, she could feel herself feeling gloomy all over again. She'd woken up to the misty weather and dull, cloudy gray sky. Somehow, she felt she was weighed down all over again.

 _What the hell is wrong with me?_ Chara had found herself wondering. Maybe she ought to look into a therapist, after all. Even the texts she'd received from her dear friend, Mickie James, hadn't lifted her spirits much.

Adding to her foul mood was the fact that her shoulder was absolutely killing her today. Not only was it stiff, but she'd noticed massive swelling and discoloration. Too afraid to send a text to the doctor, she eyed up the little orange bottle of medication sitting on the shelf in her medicine cabinet.

She wasn't due to take one for another few hours, but it couldn't hurt to take another, could it? Or maybe even a few more than what was the recommended dosage. Toying with the idea of taking her prescribed painkillers in abundance, she gave an audible sigh. She really wanted to just take a huge handful and sleep for the rest of the day, because it made sense to her. Deep down, she _was_ in pain. Just a different kind of pain. Painkillers should help that. Right? But, as she knew, that was a deadly path to stroll down.

Instead, she cozied up with a book and hoped to focus on other things.

But, she'd found she'd re-read the same paragraph a hundred times. She wasn't focused in the slightest, and found herself wondering what was going on with the Smackdown roster. There were house shows that they were scheduled, after all. She wondered if Baron Corbin had gotten any reprimand for his "accidental" injury of her.

 _How was Sami doing?_ she found herself wondering. A small voice in the back of her mind told her she was just wondering about her ex-boyfriend because she didn't want to think about the real issue at hand: Her status with AJ. Just thinking about the Phenomenal One made her feel sick, though. In an act to ignore the curiosity about AJ, she sent Sami a quick text.

The response was instantaneous.

 _ **A great show yesterday! Hope you're doing well, Chara.**_

She responded that she really wasn't. She wanted to go further in depth. After all, Sami was someone she was comfortable talking with. If anyone understood what was going on in her head, it would be him. She didn't want to worry him, yet she knew she needed someone.

Chara hated that she was finding it increasingly difficult to be alone. She'd been so strong-willed and independent in the past. Yet, the string of events over the past few months had really taken a toll on her. Now, the longer she was alone, the more time she had to overthink situations and frighten herself.

 _ **Do you want me to give you a call?**_ Sami had responded to her a few moments later. Chara decided that no, she didn't want him to call. He'd already given her too much of his time while he ought to have been doting on his actual girlfriend. Although she'd give anything to hear his voice, just because of the familiarity and soothing tone, she knew that she really shouldn't keep stepping over their boundaries.

She texted him a short response, deciding to respond to some of the fans on Twitter who were offering words of encouragement. It was amazing to her how many strangers out there were being so kind to her. How many of them claimed to see her as an "inspiration." How, once again, Sister Abigail was stomping through barriers for the women's division.

Once she was bored of that, though, Chara realized she had a long two weeks ahead of her. How was she ever going to make it through?

* * *

 _ **Later that evening...**_

The sharp rasps on the door startled her. She peered over to the large window, but in the dark, she couldn't see a damned thing.

Chara hadn't told anyone that she was home. She didn't want her friends from the town dropping in as they pleased. Certainly, she hadn't told her mother that she was home. That was the last person on earth she wanted to speak to.

Getting up from her couch in a disgruntled fashion, Gypsy gave a loud meow. She, too, was annoyed by the unwanted intrusion. Admittedly, Chara hadn't really peeled herself from the couch in a few hours. She'd stumbled across some very entertaining YouTube videos about serial killers. As if she needed any more reason to despise being home by herself.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she muttered, her limp arm hanging uselessly. She slowly opened the door, and a giant bouquet of flowers and a pair of hands stood in front of her. WWE had clearly sent her a "get well soon" floral arrangement. It was magnificent, of course; the WWE didn't usually do things modestly. There was even a tiny teddy bear tied to the vase, which sported a teeny, tiny t-shirt. On the front was what she guessed was her, and kneeling in front of her was a shadowed figure which resembled Bray.

 _No fucking way,_ she thought, lightly turning over the bear before trying to take the plant. The back read "Oh, Abby, I knew you'd come!"

She stifled a gasp, tears instantly springing to her eyes. She knew what this was. She accepted the plant from the dude that had been standing there holding it for far too long, trying to figure out how to carry it in without one arm and not dropping it.

"You sure you got it?" the voice behind the enormous plant asked. Chara froze.

"Sami?" she said slowly, in awe. He sure had a knack for showing up when she least expected it.

The goofy smile peered around the flowers that were taller than he was, his dark eyes locking in on her straight away. He asked permission to bring in the flowers for her, and she allowed him to. He set them on top of her fireplace that she rarely used, pushing them back as near as he could to the wall. Once he got out of the way, she made a grab for the card that was stuck inside:

 _ **Chara,**_

 _ **We know you're pretty bummed out over the timing of your injury. Here's something that ought to cheer you up!**_

 _ **The t-shirt is a prototype of the one you will be wearing when you return in two weeks. Let us know if there are any improvements you'd like to make to it before it goes live on the WWE Shop.**_

 _ **We hope you get well soon.**_

 _ **Best regards,**_

 _ **Stephanie and Hunter**_

"Oh my fucking god!" Chara squeaked, her heart beating faster and faster. The shirt was exactly what she expected it was. "I'm going to have my own merchandise! I could sing!"

Sami gave a low chuckle. "I've heard ya sing, Char. Please don't."

She waved a quick middle finger towards him before twirling on her tip-toes, her mood brightened significantly. Tomorrow, she would get to work. Focus on her diet and exercise regime. She'd do her stretches for her bum arm. She'd make an appointment to squeeze into see a therapist or shrink or whatever. Maybe she'd get her hair re-colored.

"I'm proud of you," Sami took a step towards her, arms open wide. He had a genuine smile spread across his face. "I know we don't get much from the sales of our merchandise, but that's a pretty big deal. That's great news."

Chara gave him a giant hug, allowing herself to melt into another warm body. It was quite unusual, being close to someone like this. Especially in her own house-

Chara snapped out of the ecstatic state she was in, stepping away from Sami as she eyed him up suspiciously. "Sami, you're in my house," she stated obviously, her eyes narrowed. "I don't mean to be an asshole, but um...why are you here?"

Sami's smile widened, and he undid the buttons to his flannel shirt sleeves before pushing them up. "Honestly? I was worried about you. When you texted me this morning, it really seemed like you had a lot weighing on your mind. Plus, I really wanted to see your face when you saw your new t-shirt. This is really special. This is where we always said we'd be, at the top of the mountain."

Chara coughed, surprise catching her as he spoke. "I mean, yeah, we're both in the most recognized company that the business has to offer," she replied after gathering herself together. "But things have changed a lot since then."

"I thought maybe we could talk a little bit, away from everyone and everything," Sami replied, gesturing towards the couch. "Can we sit?"

Chara shrugged, taking the seat she had just gotten up from. It was still warm. She kind of liked that. Sami followed suit, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. Chara tucked her feet back under the blanket like a little kid, facing her ex-boyfriend with slight anticipation.

"So, what's up?" Chara finally asked him, the awkwardness in the air slowly building with each moment.

"I just wanted to see where your head was at. I know things haven't been all roses and rainbows in your world. Obviously, I heard about your time at the rest stop. I also believe a hundred percent that Baron Corbin dropped you on your shoulder knowingly and purposefully. I was truly relieved to hear that you likely wouldn't be missing a lot of time."

"You're right, it hasn't been all gravy. Every bad thing that I've done in my life-time has come back and bit me in the ass this past year. So, you should know that whatever bad juju I had for hurting you _really_ knocked me down. Karma certainly didn't miss me."

"I'm not worried about that," Sami waved his hand. "I'm just really worried about you. When you were out with your knee injury, you got really down on yourself. I could kind of see that when you texted me. So I figured maybe you could use the company."

Chara weighed that in her head for a second. She really didn't want company, but at the same time, it was strangely welcomed. Sami had meant well, and things between them had been fine, though straightly platonic since he helped care for her at the hotel. It was almost as though he knew that until there was no question that AJ wanted nothing to do with her, he would fade into the background.

"I was kind of down," she found herself admitting. Normally, she'd give him a sarcastic, bitter remark. But he truly had been noble tonight, recognizing when she wasn't doing her best. Her heart swelled with gratitude. If only Sami was like this all the time. If he were, things might be much different for them.

"How are you handling the pictures?" Sami asked.

"AJ's management team handled them just fine," she responded, a quick roll of her eyes. "They issued a statement on his behalf, basically saying that it was a good photoshop job. Obviously, it isn't, and we all know that..."

"You sound bothered by that."

Chara felt her cheeks flushed. It was hugely weird to be speaking about this with Sami of all people, but she thought he might understand.

"I'm bothered that he won't recognize his feelings for me. Whether they are there now or they aren't, we had a mutual relationship. And now, it's like I'm not good enough for him. I can't fit into the perfect life he's created for himself. So the way he knocks me down a few levels is to continue to deny that there was ever anything between us."

"Yeah, well...if it makes you feel any better, he's the one who has to sleep at night knowing he's a liar," Sami stated plainly. "He knows he's hurting you, yet he's still doing it. In my opinion, he's missing out. Don't get me wrong, I don't like the guy one bit. But, if there is anyone I'd be okay with losing you to, it'd be him."

Chara stroked her chin curiously, trying to connect the dots that were Sami's words.

"Sammers, I asked you straight up if I thought we'd ever have a shot to make it work again, and you kinda kicked me in the balls," she said with some spite.

"You truly have a way with words," Sami clicked his tongue, his eyes glimmering appreciatively. He always had enjoyed her random, cutthroat expressions. "But, if I recall, I never gave you an answer. I told you I didn't want to be with you by default. I didn't want to be second to AJ Styles in your life. I wanted you to figure out where, exactly, you two stood."

"Well, everyone knows that I'm always waiting on AJ to decide where he stands," Chara muttered. "And, hey, wait a second. Let's not ignore the fact that you and the _darling_ Mandy Rose are busy in the locker rooms before shows. I only asked if you thought we'd ever end up together assuming you two jack-offs didn't work out."

Sami gave a small, feeble smile. Chara's stomach dropped.

"Fuck, Sammers, I'm sorry. Why didn't you tell me?" Surprisingly, she hadn't heard from the traditional locker room gossip that the Golden Goddess of NXT and Sami Zayn had gone their separate ways. Last she knew, things were progressing quite well and the two were getting along just fine.

"It was on the show," he responded lamely. "That was an awesome moment for the cameras to catch," he shook his head, annoyed. "You were right about _Total Divas_. That was such a dumb thing for me to get involved in. She was trying to get a leg up in the company pretty much our whole relationship, and fucking Eva Marie of all people was the one who told me. All Mandy wanted was an 'in' to the main roster. Well, my status isn't so superior that I can guarantee that. She manipulated me like the fool that I am."

Well, holy shit. She hadn't watched any of that stupid show since Naomi had told her about her unknowing involvement. Chara pressed her mouth into a thin line. Part of her was cheering, glad that the two weren't together because they were so very wrong for each other. But she could see the melancholy look in Sami's eyes, and she knew he wasn't over it. He was crushed. Regardless, Chara really forced herself to resist from standing up on the couch, yelling "HA! I told ya so!".

"I'm really sorry things didn't work out," Chara forced herself to say.

"No, you're not," Sami offered her a smile. "I know you better than that."

Chara twisted her mouth into a smile, no longer able to hide it. "You're right. I'm not sorry you guys didn't work out, because she's a complete imbecile and you're one of the greatest human beings I've ever met. Mandy doesn't deserve someone like you."

With an appreciative smile, Sami leaned towards her to give her a small, uncomfortable side-hug. "Thank you," he said into her hair. He went back to his original position, still looking her way.

"I am really sorry that you are a good guy, and you got let down," she said quietly. "Again."

"Yeah," Sami sighed. "It was really hard to get into the dating game again after...you."

Guilt pinged in Chara's stomach, but she tried her best to ignore it. "I know, Sami, and I am sorry."

"Maybe we could make it right," Sami slowly inched closer to her. "Being away from everyone else might do us some good."

Maybe Chara was reading him wrong, but she felt like he was coming on to her. This was so unlike Sami, though, that she was certain that she was misinterpreting his body language. After all, she'd made it pretty clear that she was waiting for AJ to get his head from his ass and decide if what he wanted was to be with her. As badly as she craved affection from someone, doing anything she might regret didn't sound like too great of an idea.

That, and she knew that as soon as she saw AJ again in two weeks, it'd be right back to square one. She was certain that AJ was the one she wanted to be with. She needed the closure to that should've, could've, would've.

She opened her mouth to speak, ready to tell Sami that they needed to remain friends, but a sharp, hard knock rang through the front hall. Her attention turned from Sami to the clock, which now read nearly 10 o'clock at night. Nobody in their right mind would come over this late at night. Furrowing her brow, she turned to Sami with an apologetic look. He looked slightly annoyed, but he clearly didn't want to let on that he was. So, Chara got up and headed towards the front door, a panicked feeling beginning to drown her.

Opening the door, she gasped.

AJ tipped his baseball cap upwards, his bright blue eyes both nervous and excited. It had began to drizzle outside, so the ends of his long hair were beginning to curl with the wet raindrops. He gave her a warm, knowing look. The energy sparking between them could run an entire factory.

"What are you doing here?" she finally managed to ask. She didn't know what to do or say. She stepped backwards, allowing him to get out of the weather and into her home. She was surprised, of course. Yet, she was so happy, she was afraid she was crying. Never in a million years did she expect AJ to be at her home.

"What I should've done to begin with, Chara," AJ responded, flicking his baseball cap to the bench in the entryway. He stepped towards her, allowing his hands to find the small of her back. Her body sizzled at his touch, and she found herself standing straighter, shaking slightly as he bent down towards her. She could smell the peppermint of his gum. Their noses grazed, and she slightly parted her mouth.

"I love you, Chara. And I need you," he whispered, allowing his mouth to cover hers before he allowed himself to kiss her. Their bodies molded together perfectly, and for a moment, the world must've stopped. She found herself running her hands through his damp hair, the electricity buzzing through her veins. What she wouldn't give to take AJ up to her bedroom...

As the kiss lightened up, AJ pulled away reluctantly.

"Wow," he smiled as their foreheads remained pressed against each other. Chara giggled, taking his icy cold hands in hers.

"I love you too, AJ," she stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I'm sorry it took so long for us to figure that out."

Before AJ could respond, they were both startled by a creak in the floorboard.

 _Fuckin' Sami!_ Chara had completely forgotten that he was hanging out in her living rom. Holy shit, this did _not_ look good.

"Sorry, guys, didn't mean to be a creep," Sami said in his usual cheery tone, though Chara could tell he was masking his real feelings. He was hurt, upset, sad, and frustrated.

AJ stepped back, turning to face both Chara and Sami. His eyes glanced from one to the other, clearly trying to make sense of what they were all doing in the same predicament they'd been in many years ago. His face fell a little bit upon realizing that Sami and Chara had been together that evening.

"I was in the area, and I heard Chara would be out for awhile. Figured I'd pop in to see if she needed anything," Sami gave AJ a smile, offering his hand. AJ sized him up for a moment before reaching out and taking it, giving a stiff handshake.

"Take good care of her," Sami clapped AJ on the shoulder. "She's one of the greatest human beings I've ever met." He winked at Chara before grabbing his keys from his pocket, pardoning himself. Although the entire sentiment was ill-timed, it wasn't missed. Chara almost felt that Sami had given her away, allowing her to follow her heart. She could see the respect that Sami had manifested for the Phenomenal One. For a moment, everything was still. Things were right with the world.

Once she could hear his car pull out into the road, she gave a small sigh of relief. Sami was right about one thing. Being away from the entire locker room's eyes was a good thing. And for the first time, she'd be able to spend time with the one person _she_ wanted to make things right with.

"So," she said quietly, turning to AJ.


	28. Remember

_A/N: The end is slowly drawing nearer to this. But with that, I am uncertain what I would like to do next. Should I write another story about Chara? Should I go a different direction? I'm just not sure... help, guys! :)_

* * *

 _ **Friday, November 3, 2016: Bridgeport, West Virginia**_

Chara woke up in a weird mood. She was certain that she'd had the weirdest fucking dream possible.

Did Sami show up at her home yesterday? Was she offered her own merchandise? Did AJ Styles show up late last night, admitting that he loved her just as much as she loved him? All of it seemed far-fetched. That, and the way her life had been the past couple months, she was certain that she'd made it all up in a heavy sleep.

But the weight on the other side of her bed told her differently.

Giving a quick stretch, she rolled to one side, allowing herself to look over at AJ. He still wore his clothes from the night before, though his jeans had been kicked off sometime during the night. They'd gone to bed fairly early, keeping the rest of the evening extremely PG. Although having him in her bed made her a little giddy, she knew better. As badly as she wanted him, she didn't want to ruin things before they really had a chance.

Today, though, Chara could bet they'd have a whole hell of a lot of talking to do. After all, they'd been hiding their true feelings for so long, they had to get to know each other all over again before jumping headfirst into a relationship of any kind. She had a million questions, too: Were things done between him and his wife? Because the last thing she wanted was more bad publicity. What were his intentions? Did he see himself being with her for the long-run?

She also guessed that he had plenty of questions of his own. They hadn't spoken again about Sami after his departure last night, but surely, AJ wondered why her ex-boyfriend was just hanging out at her house. It wasn't really a great look.

"Hey," AJ croaked, a lazy smile appearing on his lips. He draped his free arm over her, slowly inching across the mattress towards her. They were now face to face, and she tucked her head under his chin. She could hear his heart beating.

"You still use the same shampoo," AJ murmured, and Chara gave a small laugh.

"I do," she admitted. "And I still wear lavender perfume, every single day," she continued, peeking at him through her eyelashes. There was a time, during a training session many years ago, that AJ had mentioned how she smelled like flowers every time she stepped into the ring. He'd noted that he liked that, telling her it was much different than the spicy-smelling sweat of the men. And, since then, Chara had only used that very perfume.

AJ chuckled. Chara wondered if he remembered that particular training session as vividly as she did.

"I can't believe I'm here. Finally. With you," he stroked some of her hair, allowing the strands to spill through his outstretched fingers. "Like I said, this is something I should've done a long time ago."

"All that matters is that you're here now," Chara responded quietly. "And here to stay, I hope." That came out as more of a question than a statement. Deep down, Chara feared that maybe AJ would come to his senses, realize that trying to forge a relationship with her was too little, too late, and disappear all over again.

She was sure that her heart couldn't handle another devastating blow at the hands of AJ Styles.

AJ didn't speak again for awhile. "You know, I don't really know why I was so afraid for so long. I knew back then how I felt about you, and I knew it as soon as I saw you again."

"Probably because you knew how terribly I hurt everyone way back then," Chara stated matter-of-fact, knitting her eyebrows together. "It was a chance that you didn't want to take, and I understand why. Like, yeah, it hurt that you threw me away like yesterday's trash..."

"No, I didn't," AJ interjected quickly. "I was young, too. Just really starting to catch my stride. Whatever happened, happened. But more than anything, I don't want to sit and dwell on that. Let's figure out how to best move forward and give this a real chance."

Chara kissed the stubble of his chin in response, her heart overwhelmed with gratefulness.

"I just want to make sure...you know, after I saw Sami here..." AJ fumbled his words a little bit, something he usually didn't do. She knew he was going to ask about that, she just hadn't been prepared to deal with the question straight away.

"Sami was a huge part of my life a long, long time ago. And I guess part of me will always care about him," she responded, cutting him off. "He came here to deliver the flowers and check in on me, yes, that part is true..."

"But he has deeper feelings for you, too," AJ confirmed. "I mean, I _know_ he does. I just want to make sure that I don't have to worry that you'll change your mind and decide that, in the long run, he's the one you were meant to be with."

"I think you and I both know who I'm meant to be with. For whatever reason, we belong together. And you can't fight fate," Chara replied easily. "I knew, deep down, that until we gave this a chance, I would never be happy with someone else. The only person I want, AJ, is you. And it's been that way for a long fucking time."

AJ kissed the top of her head, breathing in a huge sigh as they remained wrapped in each other's arms. Although they hadn't had any physical interactions in a long time, this felt natural. Like an every day thing, perhaps. Almost as though they'd been cuddling in bed for years...

"I love you so much," AJ muttered into her hair. "I'm going to prove it to you, every single day."

* * *

 _Sunday, November 5, 2017_

AJ wasn't ready to leave her yet.

First thing in the morning, he'd be heading back on the road. Yeah, he could text and call Chara, but it couldn't compare to seeing her beautiful face.

How had he been so blind for so long? The time away from the WWE had done wonderful things for the pair. Away from prying eyes and whispers. Away from fans, from Baron Corbin, and social media. They were able to act as though they were a real couple. And although they hadn't talked about being "official", he knew that it would head that way shortly. Although they had a long way to go before they would be going public with their relationship, AJ knew that he wanted this to last.

Friday had been a fairly lazy day. After finally peeling themselves out of bed, Chara had made him breakfast. He would never be able to forget the mental image of her giggling as he hugged her from behind while she added mushrooms to the frying pan. God damn, was she beautiful. And in that moment, things were perfect. Although so far, AJ supposed, _everything_ had been perfect between them. For once, the stars seemed to align in their favor.

They'd had a long, drawn-out conversation over breakfast at well. Even after their omelets were eaten, they sat and spoke about training together again at great length. AJ admitted he truly missed having a protégé, and Chara told him that she really wanted to brush up on her in-ring skills. She'd likely be involved in her own matches after Bray captured the title, which was looking promising. Especially if John had been able to prevent Baron Corbin from getting pushed.

"You really want to go back to where it all began?" AJ teased, giving her a knowing look.

"I mean, I just want to see you in your tights, to be honest," Chara shot back, not missing a beat. She managed to keep a straight face, which only made the moment more funny to AJ.

"What? The good 'ol Levis don't do it for you?" AJ asked, pointing down at his denim jeans.

"I prefer spandex," Chara shrugged.

"I prefer those little shorts that Alyx wore, y'know, the pink ones?" AJ teased her. Her face clouded as she recounted the shorts he was referring to, trying to pick the memory from her brain.

AJ wouldn't forget it, though. He couldn't. He knew it was embarrassing for her, but he'd found himself searching YouTube for that very match on multiple occasions. A long while ago, she'd had an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction during a match against Daffney. Somehow, a stud from Daffney's belt had gotten stuck on the spandex of Chara's shorts, ripping it from the asscheek straight across to the top of her laced underwear.

Chara flipped him off. "Yeah, nothing like being accidental spank material for the creepy dudes in the front row," she leered at him.

They would go on like this for awhile, just like old times. Even though everything had changed between them, somehow, things were exactly the same. The chemistry that was there hadn't left, and the sexual tension kept building through the hours. Of course, both of them pretended that it wasn't clearly there between them.

They'd spent hours getting to know each other again. Chara told him all about how she'd really gotten into learning her character, how she'd researched strong female leads. She'd really impressed him by trying so hard to gain Bray's appreciation. It was clear how much she'd looked up to him. It was also clear how well she'd been able to cling to the role of Abigail. Somehow, she'd been able to tap into the angry force within her. It was in such huge contrast to the character of Alyx she'd played back in TNA, AJ still had a hard time believing it was even the same girl.

After they'd grown tired of talking about work, the focus shifted to other things. He'd found out that Chara's favorite color was purple. That she was a sucker for terribly written romantic comedies, though she would never admit that to anyone else. She'd revealed that her first concert was a Clay Aiken concert, and she was about 11 years old.

Through all the talking, the walls she had been building for so long slowly came crumbling.

Saturday had gone in a similar pattern, except he'd forced her to get some of her physical therapy done. Although she complained the entire time, she reluctantly performed the exercises the good doctor had given her. She wanted to get to training right away, hoping to attempt a modified version of AJ's Calf Crusher. Not wanting to irritate her shoulder, though, AJ declined a real training session. Instead, he'd gotten her to agree to a yoga video on YouTube. What she really needed was the relaxation and proper muscle stretching. And although he felt like a real asshat trying to do some of the poses, they managed to laugh through the entire video together.

Tonight, though, AJ wanted to do something special. It would be the last time they'd be able to see each other until she returned to the ring. He knew the risk of taking her out to dinner, but he really wanted to. She deserved a date, after all. It was the least he could do for her.

So, he'd scoured Google on his phone while she slept beside him that morning. He wanted to stay fairly local, but also wanted to make sure that the place was nice and small. The less chance that they'd be recognized, the better. The only thing that worried him was that Chara wasn't like most girls. She wouldn't get excited over a sixteen dollar glass of wine.

So, he finally opted to take her out to a very nice Japanese steakhouse. He knew that it wouldn't be comparable to the food that they'd had while actually performing overseas. Yet, Chara had mentioned in the past that she really missed the different exotic dishes. He did, too; and although he wasn't big on seafood, there would certainly be something there for him to enjoy.

Perhaps the evening would be a good time to discuss their relationship as well.

* * *

 _Later that evening..._

"Chara, you look beautiful tonight," AJ commented as she sat across from him. She wore a short cocktail dress, opting for a black number with long sleeves to hide the tightly-bound cloth bandage on her shoulder.

She smiled at him. Her makeup was light and feminine, and her hair cascaded down her back smoothly. It was quite a difference from the Sister Abigail character. In fact, AJ was certain that she likely would not be recognized.

"Thank you, AJ. I'd say the same to you, but you're always beautiful," her eyes glittered as she spoke, and AJ could feel warmth in the pit of his stomach. "Thank you for taking me here," she raised her cocktail glass before taking a small sip.

"Anything for you," AJ replied. And, he meant it. "I owe you infinite dinners for all the missed time we've had."

Chara gave a small laugh. "I'll take you up on that, Champ," she folded her hands on her lap. Though the place was fairly busy this evening, the two ignored the bustle and chaos. Instead, they seemed to have tunnel vision, only focused on one another.

"I know it's not the same as back in Japan, but I know part of you misses it," AJ held out his hand for her across the table, which she quickly did. He gave it a tiny squeeze. "I'd love to take you back there. Except on our own terms, not on WWE's."

Alright, he was getting ahead of himself. He'd just offered to take her across the globe as if it were nothing. And they hadn't exactly had "the talk" yet. In fact, his divorce wasn't even finalized yet. Surely, he couldn't just take off and jet with another woman to a different country quite yet. But, it would give him something to look forward to...

"That's quite a date, AJ," Chara bit her lip. "Going to Japan to visit, and not to work? Who would've thought that would even be a thing."

"Well, maybe the lull before the Royal Rumble, we can sneak away for a week or so. If not to Japan, we can think of somewhere else," he went on.

"I would love to," Chara said quickly, as if she was worried that he didn't like the reluctance in her voice. "I just...I really worry that word will get out, and I know you don't want to get a bad image. And your divorce..." she trailed off, and he could see that she was hesitant to bring up the obvious. Yeah, she wasn't addressing the elephant in the room, just as he had when he'd asked about Sami.

"You don't need to worry about that," AJ responded lightly, his eyes set on hers. He hoped she could see the sincerity in them.

"I do, though," Chara twisted her hands in a knot nervously on the table.

"Well, I've spoken to a good friend of mine, and I've filed a lot of paperwork to make sure that things go smoothly and simply," AJ was referring to his separation from his wife, and although he didn't say it, Chara knew that he was talking about it, too. He recalled his conversation with John. Although keeping his ex-wife quiet was going to be costly, John had already lived through that. But, of course, she already started pointing fingers at Chara after the photo was leaked of them.

"Promise?" Chara breathed, worry still plain as day in her tone. Surely, she felt like they were doing something that was a taboo. Part of him understood that. But the other part of him really wanted to just be with her, and fuck the rest.

"I promise you. I'll protect you from anything and everything," he smiled back.

"So, Japan it is, then," Chara gave him a careful look.

The night went on, and they chattered through dinner and a few more drinks. Although it wasn't quite as good as real Japanese food, it wasn't half bad. Chara had asked him about when, and if, he planned on retiring. He said he had plenty of gas to keep going, so long as he stayed healthy with no injuries. She agreed, finally realizing she was warming to the WWE as a company. But, she said, there were plenty of other things she wanted to do besides wrestle.

He inquired what that might be, but she stayed mum and avoided the questions. AJ already knew what other "things" she wanted to do, but she didn't want to bring up rings or families or anything of that nature because, he supposed, she didn't see the timing right.

Although he'd pondered if they'd ever tie the knot in the future, AJ didn't dwell on the possibility much. They had a lot of time to get to that point, after all.

"So, is there anything else you'd like to do tonight?" AJ asked after the waitress had brought him back the receipt from their bill.

Chara smiled before stifling a laugh. "That sounded like an offer, if I ever heard one," she joked. She raised one of her perfect eyebrows, throwing AJ a seductive look.

 _Fuck, she was so hot._

"I just meant, y'know...since I won't get to see you until you return to the show," he answered, trying his damnedest to ignore the way the top of her dress would pull down each time she shifted in her seat. If he stood up, he'd undoubtedly see everything.

Chara rolled her eyes playfully. "Mhmm, that's exactly what was on my mind, too," she made a grab for her wallet, throwing a generous tip for the staff on their table. AJ started to object, but she held up her hand quickly. Her mind was made up, and he knew he shouldn't bother arguing it.

They each got up from their seats, and AJ helped her into her peacoat before being bowed out at the door by one of the friendly hosts. Hand in hand, they made their way back to the parking lot, the sun setting in a hazy orange sky.

Each of them stopped before getting into the car, watching the view in silence. It was a moment of peace, something that words couldn't explain. The stillness between them was comfortable, a beautiful snapshot of reflection and mindfulness. It was odd, but AJ could feel that it was a new beginning.

He looked over at Chara. Yes, a new beginning. A new _everything_.

And so it was.

* * *

Chara squeezed her eyes shut as she yelped, cursing at AJ for forcing her to watch this movie.

He laughed at her, and in turn, she poked him straight in the ribs. He couldn't believe she'd watched a load of horror movies to find the influence for the Sister Abigail character, but hadn't yet seen any of the Insidious movies. Sure, they were corny and full of jump scares, but watching her cringe and shove a pillow over her face was worth it.

"You suck," she muttered, slowly peeking at him from behind one of the throw pillows she'd mashed her face into. "Is it safe to look yet?"

"I think so," he replied, and slowly, the pillow returned to the couch. She'd changed into yoga pants and a plain white tank top. Although severely dressed down in comparison to her evening dress, AJ still had a hard time looking away. It was astonishing how she could pull off even a messy look.

Or, maybe he just had a hard time seeing any flaws in her at all.

"I ought to put you through this table," she pointed at her coffee table, which currently held two half-full beers.

"That would suck," AJ laughed, turning his attention away from the television screen. "That'd be a long trip at the emergency room, getting shards of glass picked out of my skin for hours."

Chara paled, as if she were imagining the scene in her head. "Okay, maybe a softer landing, then," she agreed.

"Such as a wrestling ring?"

"Such as...a mattress?" she suggested, her lips turning into a twisted smile. Just as she had at dinner, she raised one of her eyebrows.

He gave her a wondering look. He studied her face for a long time, unsure if she was just being the flirtatious girl he'd trained for years. Would it be too soon for them to jump into bed like that? He wasn't sure.

"Chara," he said her name slowly, dragging it out with uncertainty. "Don't mess around like that. You know that I find you extremely attractive, and I've only dreamt of sleeping with you since..." his words trailed off. Chara had moved closer to him. He could smell her perfume.

She rubbed her thumb across his lips, a sultry look taking over her features as she smoothly draped her legs over him, now facing him completely as she straddled him. He allowed his hands to stroke her covered thighs, wishing that the pants were on the floor. He wanted to feel her smooth skin under his calloused hands, a perfectly imperfect combination.

She dipped down, kissing his lower lip gently while using one hand to stroke his hair.

"Do you really think I'd mess around about that?" she whispered huskily, covering his mouth with hers before he had a chance to respond. He allowed her complete control, letting her warm mouth cover his neck and collarbone. She'd pulled off his t-shirt, throwing it to the hardwood floor, before tracing his strong chest with her fingers.

"It never ceases to amaze me how perfect you are," she commented, her eyes slowly traveling back up to meet his.

"I was thinking the same about you," AJ breathed heavily, his body reacting strongly to each movement of her fingers. He could feel the familiar tug against his jeans, and he could guess she felt it, too.

As if responding, she gave light, feathery kisses across his chest. She moved on to his arms, straight down to his wrists. And although he'd never been kissed on the wrist before, he had to admit that this was possibly his new favorite.

She trailed her mouth back up each of his arms, giving him one last, gentle kiss on the lips. From there, she slowly began kissing down his torso. She halted when she met the top of his jeans. As if on cue, the movie let out a loud, piercing scream. Both of them jumped, and AJ found it funnier than it probably was.

"Not exactly the kind of background noise I'd envisioned," he commented. "Perhaps I'll take you up on being bodyslammed into a mattress."

She got up to her feet, pulling him up as well. He found himself zeroing in on her ass as she led him down the hallway, back to her bedroom.

Anticipation was killing him.


	29. Again

"Are you sure this is what you want?" AJ said between breaths, his voice sounding lower than it normally did. It surprised him when he spoke. They'd spent about a good half hour exploring each other's bodies. And although they'd seen plenty of each other in the past, he couldn't help but stop and stare between kisses at the woman who lay right underneath him. For whatever reason, this felt different. Different in a good way.

"This is exactly what I want," Chara murmured, propping herself up slightly on her elbows in order to reach his mouth for another kiss. He dipped down enough to meet her lips, his eyes hooded as he did. With his free hand, he allowed his hand to travel down her sternum, hooking the band of her black, microfiber bra. He pulled on the front clasps just a little bit, the tiny plastic piece giving away instantly. Her breasts bounced from the cups, and she shrugged her shoulders from the straps.

"Be careful, Char," he murmured into her mouth, taking special caution towards her bum shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," she replied, goosebumps forming when he gently brushed each of her breasts with his fingers. The sight of her body's reaction to him only turned him on more. He didn't expect things to go this route so quickly, per se, but the moment felt right.

Slowly, he trailed kisses down her stomach, trying to hide his smile as she shuddered each time he moved downwards. Stopping at the very top of her lace boy shorts, he nibbled just a little bit at her skin before kissing there, too.

"Do you have any condoms?" AJ asked. He hated to bring it up, especially at the moment. But he also knew it was the responsible thing to do. The last thing they needed to worry about was a missed period. That would put the plan to go to Japan on the backburner immediately, and he was sure they were not ready for the possible consequences.

"I've got an IUD," Chara remarked. AJ mumbled a reply, his fingers finding the sides of her underwear before yanking them down and off. Dropping them on to her bedroom floor, he stopped for a moment and took in the sight all over again. Her hair lay around her, framing her face like a grungy halo. Her mascara must've gotten smeared during all of their kisses, because she had small black streaks from it near her cheek. For whatever reason, though, that just made it even hotter. The lust they had for one another was quite clear.

There are some moments in life that you know you will never forget. Maybe it's because of how you feel, and maybe it's because of what you're doing. But on rare occasions, its both. One of the moments that AJ always held on to was the night he'd taken Chara back to the hotel room after Hogan's charity event. Without a doubt, he knew that tonight would be another cherished moment for him. This was everything he'd ever hoped for.

"You're beautiful," AJ heard himself say, surprising himself that he'd actually said it out loud. Chara pursed her lips before giggling a little as AJ lightly stroked the inside of her legs gently. He shuddered slightly, trying to memorize the way her soft skin felt underneath his fingertips. Chara's eyes blazed into his, and slowly he allowed his hand to wander towards the V of her legs.

"You're beautiful, too," Chara replied as he gently massaged her legs. He could feel the warmth emulating from her sex, and he was fully ready to make the jump. But her statement had caught him off-guard, and it was oddly one of the greatest compliments he'd ever received. He paused, brushing his thumb against her lips before kissing her once more.

"Are you sure you're ready?" he drawled, hovering over her. Although now he could feel the slick, wet folds against his tip, he still didn't want to force anything.

"Of course," Chara confirmed. He drew a breath before slowly easing into her. Chara drew a quick breath, her eyebrows knitting together immediately, as though she was in pain.

"Are you alright?" AJ asked, his tone slightly panicked. He didn't want to hurt her, and if she wasn't enjoying it, he wouldn't be able to, either.

"It's okay," came her voice, which was muffled against his collarbone. "It's been a really long time," she told him. He didn't have to look down at her face to know that she was burning a bright, crimson red with embarrassment. If AJ could guess, she probably hadn't slept with another person since she'd slept with him. But that, he supposed, would be a conversation for a later date.

Being more careful this time, he slowly slid back and forth against her warm body, liking the way her breath felt against his bare skin. Each time she took a breath, it was an icy chill against his flushed skin.

Deciding she was ready for him to pick up the pace a little, he steadied himself against her, his hands wandering through her hair as he leaned down once more. Chara had tucked her good arm around his body, forcing him to drive deeper. Her breaths were becoming louder and staggered, small moans escaping every now and again. He could feel her tightening around him, her hands kneading into his back as she pulled her legs further apart. He could feel her body shivering as her orgasm drew very close.

Keeping his rhythm steady, he repositioned himself once more, holding on to her thighs with each stroke.

"Argh!" Chara cried out, her face twisting in sheer bliss. "Don't stop," she begged, and AJ could feel her pulsating around him, gearing up for a hell of an orgasm.

He bit his lip, trying his damnedest not to accidentally come. Shifting his focus back to her, he had to tear his eyes away from her breasts bouncing each time he pulled from her. If he looked too long, he would certainly not make it.

"Fuck, Chara," he growled, his own orgasm now slowly creeping up on him. He grit his teeth, feeling himself lose control.

"Come in me," she said breathily. And, as if she'd uttered some magic words, his concentration broke. In a hot, relieving flash, he spilled into her. As he did, he could feel Chara let loose her own orgasm, crying out his name as she did.

They lay in a tangled, wet mess of bedsheets and legs for a long while, each of them trying to catch their breath. The mix between Chara's perfume, sex, and AJ's cologne filled the entire room. It was spicy and sweet, and another thing he'd remember forever.

"Do you think it'll always be like that?" Chara asked. She slowly started to untangle herself from him, her naked body still misted with sweat.

"Like what?" AJ gave a little stretch, pulling a bedsheet over himself when she rolled off to the side.

"Like...I don't know. Mind-blowing?"

"Mind-blowing?" AJ mocked her, turning to face her. She swatted him.

"I don't know how else to explain it," she stuck her tongue out at him. "And, just for that, I ought to send you down to sleep on the couch."

"Hmm, at least there would be more room," AJ joked. Chara's jaw dropped, and he could see an inkling of hurt flash across her face.

"I'm only kidding, Char. I'd never do that to you. I'd never want you to sleep alone if you didn't have to."

"I'm gonna have to sleep alone for a long time, before I see you again," Chara spoke quietly. "I wish you didn't have to go tomorrow."

"I wish I didn't either, but we have a lot to look forward to. Take the time off to keep working hard. If you can get cleared to train when you get back, I'll step back into the ring with you like old times. As long as you wear a push-up bra underneath your sports bra. You know, to make it _exactly_ like old times." This earned him a sly middle finger from Chara, who looked somewhat surprised. Oh, yeah, he knew that she used to do everything she could to make him notice her during their time training back in the day.

After she went to clean herself up, Chara slid into bed next to him. She wore flannel shorts now, and was donning on promotional John Cena t-shirt.

"You're kidding, right?" AJ snorted, pulling at the "U C ME" logo on the chest.

"Shut up," Chara rolled her eyes, though she did so with good nature. "You know they throw these around like candy. If I had one of my own t-shirts, I definitely would be wearing that instead."

"How about a Phenomenal shirt instead?" AJ teased.

Chara shrugged. "I don't know, that's a little weird," she said shortly. And although he asked her to expand on the thought, she remained tight-lipped. AJ supposed she thought it would gain negative attention. He reminded her that she wouldn't have to run around backstage with it on, but she still didn't say much more about it.

Dropping the subject, he enveloped his free arm around her, breathing her in.

"I love you, Chara," he nuzzled her neck, gently kissing the crook.

"I love you, too," she answered, folding herself to fit into the empty spaces against his body. "I wish I could freeze this moment forever."

"That's what pictures are for," AJ pointed out.

"I've learned my lesson on that," Chara stated grimly.

"Eh, fuck it," said AJ. "Corbin is a slimeball. I still can't believe he released that picture. Eventually, it'll get out that we're together. I'm not really worried about the public's response to that. I don't care anymore. The worst feeling I've had in a long time was when you asked me if I was embarrassed of you. And, looking back, I can understand why you might think that."

"But you're not?"

"I never could be. Are you kidding? If I could change the past, I would. And I know you would, too. But we can't, so let's make the best with the time we've got now."

Chara seemed satisfied with that. She didn't speak again, and he lay still as he listened to her breathing. It was oddly calming, especially since most of his nights had been filled with sleeping alone in rickety old hotel rooms. When he first came to the WWE, he'd traveled with Gallows and Anderson quite often. But now that they were split on to separate shows, he spent much more time alone. And before, that was okay with him. But now, having spent the past few nights with Chara, he reconsidered that. This was something he could get used to.

Chara's breath evened out, and he knew she'd fallen asleep. She'd tucked herself up against his naked body in a partial fetal position, her head buried in his armpit. He wasn't sure how she could possibly be comfortable. Slowly, he repositioned his arm to a more comfortable position as to his liking. Careful not to wake her, he brushed his lips against the back of her head. Even though she couldn't feel it, he still wanted to act on the moment.

"You never know, you could be the one," he said to the quiet, darkened room. This was something that could be a forever thing, indeed.

* * *

 ** _Sunday, November 12, 2017: Bridgeport, West Virginia_**

With a triumphant smile on her face, Chara snapped her luggage shut. Somehow, she'd managed to fit her entire dresser into the khaki-colored carrier. Normally, she would be much more minimalistic with her items. But she'd be back on the road for a long time, and she couldn't be certain when she could return to her home.

After AJ left, something awakened inside of her. She didn't drag her feet to do her physical therapy exercises. In fact, just the thought of seeing AJ sooner gave her motivation to keep going. She'd set up an appointment with a therapist, who had diagnosed her with depression. Even though Chara knew that she wasn't certain that she was a "depressed" person, she did know she had a hard time coping with problems as they arose. Since her lifestyle was quite busy, though, she also knew that it was going to be hard to continue regular visits. For now, the medication would have to do.

In combination with anti-depressants, though, she began DDP Yoga. She'd seen her foe, Austin Aries, really giving praise to the program on Instagram. And she, too, found it extremely helpful.

Between bettering herself each day, she spoke with AJ every night. They would spend hours, staying up into the early morning, discussing the different things they could do when they finally went off to vacation in Japan. Even though initially she thought he wasn't serious about it, the past week proved that he very much was. And now, she was truly excited.

Planning vacations wasn't the only excitement, though. She'd made an appointment with a local hairdresser, who stuck some bright purple low-lights in her hair for her as well. Now, she had black, silvery-white, and purple swirling in her hair. When it was down, it looked awesome. Of course, she knew once Abigail returned, it would be wild and untamed.

 _Abigail_...she smoothed over the storylines that Hunter had e-mailed her a few days ago. She'd printed them out, hoping to study them on the flight to Florida. She would finally return to the ring in only two days, and even though she'd been doing this forever, the couldn't help but get nervous and giddy with all the excitement. She looked forward to seeing her kayfabe brother, and getting back together with Harper and Rowan. Finally, the Wyatt family was going to be heading to the top. The storylines she held on to right now was proof of that.

The plan now was for Bray Wyatt to win the championship belt from AJ at the Elimination Chamber. Of course, that would be with Sister Abigail's help. Baron Corbin hadn't exactly been written out of the title picture, but he was definitely not going to be holding a belt for awhile. Somehow, management was convinced that he was busy trying to leap-frog over people rather than get ahead on his own accord. And although AJ didn't say so, she suspected that he or John Cena had tipped off the management about some of the things Corbin had done, despite having solid evidence. Regardless, he would be in the same match. Chara had e-mailed Hunter immediately upon finding that out, though, asking him to ensure she did not have to be interacting with him.

She took a look at the clock. She'd be leaving soon. She'd fed her cat, slid a spare key under the mat for the neighbor, and left a small handful of money on her kitchen counter. The neighbor kid would watch over her house and her cat while she was gone, just as he had done so far.

Chara looked around her home once more, making sure she hadn't left anything behind. The emptiness of the home stared back at her, and she felt a little guilty. She'd loved her home when she bought it. But now, with all the travelling she'd been doing, it almost felt like a waste. Perhaps she'd have to consider downsizing in the near future.

Deciding she hadn't forgotten anything important, she watched out the front door for her car. As she did, she quickly sent a text to AJ:

 ** _See you soon! :)_**

* * *

 ** _A/N: We're almost there! Almost done! Only almost a year later...er..._**

 ** _Anyways, we'll see Sister Abigail's return. How do you think that's going to turn out?_**

 ** _Let me know your thoughts. :)_**


	30. Soon

_**Tuesday, November 14, 2017: Charlotte, North Carolina; Prior to Smackdown Live**_

Baron Corbin stormed around backstage, ready to throw punches at the nearest objects. Whatever was in his way, he wanted to annihilate it.

He'd just sat down with Road Dogg and some other moron writer. He couldn't believe that they were going to slowly remove him from the title picture after the Elimination Chamber, which he would not win.

That just pissed him right the fuck off. Who would possibly be gaining on him as far as superstar power rankings went? Because without Sister Abigail, it seemed like Bray Wyatt had finally started to lose his momentum. And as far as he knew, that skank was out for an undetermined amount of time. Surely, the management wouldn't just take away this opportunity from him?

But, he also knew that Chara's little loverboy AJ might have something to do with the sudden halt on his push. Oh, the perks of screwing the current champion!

"Hey, man, cool your jets," someone said to him as he kicked over a nearby recycling bin. He turned to glare at whoever it was that dared to speak to him. It happened to be John Cena, who hadn't yet changed into his ring gear for the evening. Then again, Corbin wasn't sure if he was even going to be wrestling tonight. He was close enough to being retired from the ring as a person got, without actually being considered "on the shelf."

"Fuck off, Cena. Don't you have some reality TV shows or a Good Morning America broadcast to head off to? Why even bother showing up when you aren't doing any good to the company, anyways?" Baron growled. John looked taken aback, but only for a moment.

"Do you really think that's the type of conduct that you want to have if you're reaching for the top?" John Cena replied calmly, not letting Baron's rage bother him in the slightest.

"Do you think I care?"

"No, but I think you should. You've got talent. But you also have a bad temper, and a vile attitude."

"I didn't get this far to make friends or to get laid like you did, pal. I got this far because I have a no-bullshit attitude. And this company is exactly that-bullshit!" Baron swiped at a nearby table, all the Styrofoam cups scattering across the floor as he did.

"Speaking of bullshit," AJ Styles called out from behind John, "I think it's bullshit that you still have a job. But hey, that's just me."

Baron now stepped up to AJ, looming over the current champion. He sneered at him, his fists clenched. "I didn't do anything wrong," he growled, twitching his knuckles as though he wanted to punch the smaller man. John pulled AJ's shoulder back gently, as if to force him to step away from the potential fight.

AJ ignored John, keeping his eyes locked on Baron. He stood tall, not wavering one bit. "Even if I did, you have no proof of it," he wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Maybe not, but those are the demons you get to sleep with at night," John offered, his eyes flashing quickly in annoyance.

"Better than the demon _you_ sleep with, Cena," Baron shot back. "Wait 'til Nikki finds out you're only proposing to her because they paid you an unbelievable amount of money to do it."

John shook his head. "She's not going to find out. And even if they are paying me money to do it at WrestleMania, I'd be doing it eventually anyways."

"Yeah, right," laughed Baron condescendingly. He redirected his focus back towards AJ. "What did you say to make sure I don't get the belt next, Champ? That your little girlfriend finds me _scary_?"

"You really think I've got enough pull to make those kinds of decisions?" AJ drawled, tightening his lips into a thin line.

"I'm just saying. Whatever happened to 'bros before hoes'? Because let's face it, that's all Chara will ever be-" AJ lunged at Baron, but Cena was too quick for him. Grabbing him by the hood of his sweatshirt, he pulled him away before one of his flying fists could connect.

"Okay, guys. Let's break this up and each cool off," John stepped into the middle of the two men. "Corbin, you're really not doing yourself any favors by acting like such a clown."

Baron shrugged, giving a small eye roll. He stormed off into the other direction, back to his own thoughts. He still was certain that AJ had prevented the title changing hands in his favor, but he did a damn good job of acting as though he hadn't. The best thing he could hope for was a devastating injury, but if he was in the ring with AJ while it happened, everyone would know what he was up to.

He did have time on his side, though. In this company, plans could be changed at the push of a button. If he wowed Vince McMahon enough, maybe they'd reconsider his positioning with the company. Surely, he was better off than that lazy, creepy pile of crap Wyatt?

 _And, speak of the dirty bastard himself!_ Baron thought as Bray passed him by, carrying his luggage over his shoulder as he headed back to the men's locker room. He had both members of his family with him, and a scrawny kid trailing them in a black sweatshirt and sweatpants.

Baron halted for a moment and turned, watching as the four people moved down the hall, keeping to themselves and not looking anyone's way. He wondered if that scrawny kid was Chara.

The media reports everywhere had predicted she'd be out of action for months. And it was likely that she would be. Deciding that this was probably just a Public Relations manager or something, Baron Corbin decided to find out where they'd set up the catering. Perhaps a minute to sit down and cool off was what he needed, after all.

* * *

Chara kept her head ducked down low as she followed Bray and Erick Rowan into the empty men's locker room. Bray had poked his head in prior, ensuring that nobody else was in there before they walked in. That way, she wouldn't accidentally see anything she didn't really want to see. But, as soon as she entered, the first thing that greeted her was a repulsing odor of old socks and enough cologne clouds to suffocate a person.

Luke Harper stayed outside, fending off any possible intruders as they showed up. Erick stood at the door, folding his arms in an authoritative way. They'd made it without being seen.

Once again, she had to break out the trusty old black sweatsuit. It was the very same one she'd worn when she'd first debuted, and the WWE was trying to keep silent about her identity. As per Hunter's request, she was supposed to remain completely anonymous while traveling to the arena, outside of it, and once she got into it.

As it turned out, all the dirt sheets and news websites were writing that she'd be out of action until WrestleMania. Rather than put those statements to rest, the WWE creative team decided to ride it out. They were truly banking on the surprise factor next Sunday, at the Elimination Chamber. She'd considered staying home for a few more days, but Hunter had personally called her and asked her to head back on the road.

"Bray is doing fine on his own, don't get me wrong. But the Wyatt Family has finally gotten over so well because of you," he'd told her a few days ago. "He's been in touch every day to find out when you'd be able to return to the road. He's worried that the fans will lose interest. Let's be honest, we can only do so much with fog machines and lighting before the fans decide they're really _not_ going to see Abigail for awhile, and lose interest in him as well."

Chara had been completely shocked to hear that Triple H believed they'd gotten to the top because of _her_. She was also surprised that Bray had been asking about her wellbeing, and she realized she had actually become a huge motivation to him.

At the same time, she was anxious to head back on the road. It never ceased to amaze her that even though she used to drag her feet at the thought of being with the WWE, it had become more of a home than her house in Bridgeport was. Now, she was ecstatic to join her friends-and family-once more.

"Alright, Chara. Here's the key that Shane gave to me to give to you," Bray offered her a silver key on a red ribbon.

Chara shook her head, not realizing that she'd completely zoned out for a minute. Glancing around, she spotted the door to a tiny office with frosted windows. She twisted her mouth into an annoyed frown, glancing back up at him.

"I'm guessing I'm gonna sit and hide in that tiny room, huh?" she gestured towards the office grimly. She knew she wasn't going to be used during the show tonight, and she knew she wasn't supposed to be seen. But this reminded her far too much of when she'd first debuted, and that was a lonely stretch of days. Shoot, all she'd needed was Natalya to accidentally stumble into her hiding place, and she'd have thought it was her first day back on the job.

"I'm sorry, but yes you will," Bray confirmed with a solemn tone. "I know it isn't fun. But you know the plan. We have to keep you away from everyone. Just one moron with a cell phone can ruin the element of surprise, and every website out there will be reporting that you were backstage at Smackdown. We've got a good thing coming to us, and the last thing we want is to piss off Vince," he reiterated. Of course, Chara already knew all of this, but it didn't make her like it any more.

She glanced at Erick, who was nodding at Bray's words. With a deep breath, she knew he was right. Erick and Luke Harper would be fighting in a triple-threat tag team match for the titles on Sunday. And although they wouldn't win them then, they were supposed to at the following Smackdown Live show...with Abigail's help. So, she supposed, keeping on the Chairman's good side was probably best for the Wyatt Family right now. The last thing she wanted to do was let her brothers down because she couldn't follow simple directions and keep still.

"You're right," she breathed, a hint of annoyance breaking through her tone. "Just don't forget that I'm in here and leave me stranded."

Bray laughed once. "Don't you worry about that. We wouldn't forget you," his voice was soothing, and she took a deep breath before stepping towards the office door.

"Oh, and before you head in, we actually wanted to give you a welcome back present," Erick piped up, and Chara raised an eyebrow at him. Despite the fact that they'd been working together for awhile now, it was still a pretty rare occasion that he spoke to her directly.

"And what would that be?" she wondered out loud, confusion crossing her face.

"Well, I wanted to make you a cake, but Bray had other ideas," Erick joked. _Joked?_ Chara wondered to herself. _What in the hell is going on here?_

And with that, Erick stepped aside, just enough for the door to open a tiny bit. She would recognize that black leather vest from the next town over. Without hesitation, she leapt up in excitement when his beautiful eyes landed on her, a perfect smile stretching across his face.

"AJ!" she called out, running at him. She jumped up to hug him, and he picked her up into a giant bear hug. Bray's eyes had gotten wide as he held up a finger to his lips. Chara was slightly embarrassed at the echo that had rung throughout the room, hoping that no passerby had heard a woman yell AJ's name from the men's locker room. Surely, that would cause negative attention.

"I missed you so much," she sighed, breathing in his familiar scent. And even though they hadn't been apart for a very long time, it was true. She'd found that missing someone wasn't about the last time you were with the person. It isn't about the last time you spoke to them, either. Instead, genuinely missing someone was when you were doing something, and you'd find yourself wishing they were right next to you.

During her time away from the ring, although not much, Chara had come to realize that there was nothing she wanted to do if it didn't include AJ. AJ was her everything; as cheesy as it sounded. He was her past, present, and future.

But as soon as they locked eyes once again, the room felt empty. The hole she'd had since AJ had left her home wasn't there anymore. He bent down to kiss her lips, very aware that they weren't alone. But Chara didn't care that there were two more sets of eyes on them. She deepened the kiss, running her thumb through his scratchy goatee. For some reason, she'd found that she really enjoyed doing this. It was a stark contrast from her sensitive fingers, and somewhat erotic.

Slowly, though, AJ ended their kiss, much to her disappointment. He gently let her down, rubbing the small of her back once her feet were firmly planted once more on the ground. She shot him a grumpy look, and he modestly gestured towards Bray. He was simply too gentleman-like to have the moment go on in front of the other guys. Chara, on the other hand, would've been more than happy to take him into the shower room.

"Don't worry, Char," AJ held both of her hands in his, beaming at her. "I'll make up for all the years I was supposed to be kissing you."

Chara's heart leapt. In that moment, she felt complete. Like her life had done a full circle. Glancing around the room, she realized that she had a mentor, awesome friends, and the love of her life. Add in that she was part of one of the greatest companies in the world, and she wasn't sure how things could get better.

"By the way, I really like the purple," AJ commented, holding a bit of her lilac-colored hair between his thumb and forefinger, a serene look on his face. "When you sent me the picture, I wasn't too sure. But in person, it looks beautiful. And so do you." He gently stroked her cheek before softly kissing it once more.

He was possibly the sweetest human to ever exist.

She hadn't realized during their mini-makeout session that her hood had fallen down from her sweatshirt, but it had. She thanked him, taking a mental picture of the complacent look that he was giving her. It all seemed surreal, like a dream. Too good to be true. If she didn't know better, she'd pinch herself to make sure she wasn't asleep.

"If you want, I can show you what _else_ is hiding underneath my sweatshirt later," she jovially suggested, biting her lip in a sexual manner. If Bray or Erick felt uncomfortable, they definitely didn't show it. AJ gave a confident smile as he shot her a sideways glance, crossing his arms.

"Miss Wright, I'm not sure that's considered PG," he replied, waving a finger at her though he was a teacher scolding a student. But his eyes sparkling mischievously. Bray laughed out loud in response.

Chara scoffed, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"I'm glad to finally be here with you, Chara," AJ changed his tone to a more serious manner. "Did you...er..already get all set up at a hotel, or...?"

Chara's eyebrows shot up, never one to let the opportunity to make a sex joke pass. Feigning slight disgust, she put a hand over her chest. "Why, is that supposed to be some sort of invitation?" she asked, trying to reflect his southern accent. It was terrible, but somehow hilarious. "Don't you know that that's not the proper way to get a lady into your bed?"

"Well, you know, I hate it when I wake up with you on my mind, but not in my bed," AJ stepped forward, winking at her. Bray had apparently had enough at this point, because he had both his hands up in the air.

"Alright, you two. Save it for after the show," he shook his head, but he had a bright, cheery smile on his face.

"Or, you know, you could always sneak into the office with your key, and get the quick romp out of your system," Erick gestured over to the locked door, his own smile similar to Bray's.

"Oh my god, you guys. Fuck off," Chara rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm just happy that I can finally be here with all of you. And _you_ ," she stood on her tiptoes once more to kiss AJ.

"Fuckin' _finally_ ," Bray muttered. Chara shot him a look, but he straightened his face to look back at her innocently. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's just nice to see you guys finally take control of your lives. Glad you're not trying to run away from the inevitable. You two deserve to be happy, so allow yourselves to be."

He then shot Erick a knowing look, and once more, Erick nodded to him. Just as he always did. It was like some kind of secret language between those two.

AJ shook Bray's hand, thanking him for setting up the somewhat sentimental moment between himself and Chara.

Chara wondered if it had bothered him that they were being watched, but if they were going to be together, AJ was going to have to get used to Bray's odd way of doing things.

"We'll find you after the show," Bray had promised AJ. "We won't keep you two away from each other for too long."

* * *

 _ **Smackdown Live: during the show**_

AJ stood in the ring, clutching his side as he slowly got back up to his feet. Although he'd technically won the match against Ambrose, it was only because of an interference by Baron Corbin. Corbin had executed a killer Deep-Six, and he was still feeling the aftermath. He wondered if he'd put in just a little extra oomph into the move to get his point across. Fans were already cheering, jabbering, and booing as he got back up to his feet, still clutching on to his title. For once, he felt that the show before the pay-per-view was orchestrated properly. Fans would want to tune in, now that they knew there were serious contenders for the championship belt.

And, on cue to finish the segment, the lights went out. Now, Bray's telling shadow was displayed on the titantron.

"When you hold something precious, you feel like you're on top of the world. You feel like you can fly. Untouchable. I know what it's like to hold on to something of great value. But I...I'm not the hero in this story," the camera panned closer, the lighting on Bray's face casting an orange glow.

"Tell me, what is it like to have something you love taken away from you?" Bray spoke, both Rowan and Harper standing behind him with wide eyes. "But, you don't have to, because I already know. Because she's already been taken away from me," he continued, talking in circles as he normally did. Somehow, though, everything he strung together made sense.

"You think you can save the world by being on top of it, but I'm here to tell you that you can't. Because I'm going to make sure you get knocked down. In fact, it is _her_ touch that could save the world. But her kiss...her kiss burns it to the ground. I love you, Sister Abigail."

With that, the lights flickered back on, and the fans roared in response. Did that mean what they hoped? People stood up, craning their necks to look up the ramp to see if Abigail's hooded figure was lurking in the shadows. AJ got out of the ring, trying his hardest not to notice the look of disappointment when the fans didn't see Abby.

 _Soon_ , he thought to himself as his music hit to close the show. _You won't be disappointed._

* * *

 ** _Next, we'll see Sister Abigail return at the Elimination Chamber! What are your predictions for how Bray's going to get the title?_**

 ** _As you know, we're finishing up on this story. I've been toying with the idea of writing a short, couple-chapter story about Chara's past, her history with Sami, and how she began falling for AJ. I'm also planning on a continuation of this story with new characters._**

 ** _Let me know what you're thinking, and thanks again for taking the time to read, review, follow, and favorite me. It's truly been a good time writing this._**


	31. Final

_**Sunday, November 19, 2017: Phoenix, Arizona; Smackdown Live Presents: The Elimination Chamber**_

* * *

"Relax," AJ wrapped his arms around Chara, who had been anxiously pacing back and forth. She'd halted only to watch the monitor in the back, interested to watch Becky Lynch take on Naomi for the Smackdown Women's Championship belt. Naomi was always entertaining to watch, and Chara had found her to be one of the most down-to-earth women on the roster.

Chara jumped at the sudden touch, but relaxed into his embrace quickly.

"I can't," she admitted, her hairs on her arms standing as he gave a gentle kiss right behind her ear. "I've never had such a big role before, and this is a pay-per-view, and it's Bray's big moment. If I fuck it up..."

AJ nuzzled her once before spinning her to face him. "You're not going to mess anything up. We've gone through it a hundred times, and you're going to do great."

"He's right, you know," Nikki Bella piped up. She'd been watching the women's match, too. "You always do great, Chara. You don't have to worry about that. And you're out there with your man!" she flashed a large smile at AJ. "I love working with John. It's nice, because there's already natural chemistry there. Plus, you're out there with Bray, and you've worked with Dean before. And of course, John. So, it's pretty much all guys you're familiar with."

Chara nodded slowly, making a small face. The only people she hadn't had much contact with were actually going to start the match off. Somehow, Jinder Mahal had made it to the Elimination Chamber, up against Randy Orton. Neither of them were particularly nice men backstage, so she was pretty happy she wouldn't need to worry about being in the ring with either of them.

But, she did have one issue...

"True, I'm happy to be working with people I already know. Except...I've got to work with Baron Corbin. And even though I begged not to have him in the ring with me at all, I've still got to do a spot with him. What if he acts out again?"

"You don't have to worry about it," John Cena piped up. He'd just come around the corner, likely in an attempt to find Nikki before her match with Carmella to wish her well.

Chara shrugged uncertainly, finding herself gripping her long cloak far too tightly. She was in her gear, ready to go. She'd had one of the nice seamstresses help her customize her new t-shirt, which was even better in normal sizes rather than prototype. Admittedly, when Hunter had swung by early in the day, she'd teared up when he handed it to her. Everything was surreal.

But then, he'd told her that unfortunately, the final three men in the ring when she'd make her comeback would include Baron Corbin. Apparently, they still had some faith that he could change his ways and adjust the attitude. So, after losing this match, they wanted him to work towards a lesser belt.

Of course, Nikki didn't know that Dean and John would already be eliminated. Dolph Zigger was the first to be eliminated from the match, which was fine by her. He'd seemed to really have a foul attitude in regards to his positioning in the company as of late. So, essentially, the only three men she'd be working with would be three of the largest influences in her current life.

She'd give both arms to be working with Sami over Corbin, though. At least he would never intentionally injure someone.

"Baron's on thin ice, Char. If he still wants a job with the company, this is going to go flawlessly," John Cena was still going on, and AJ nodded confidently.

Chara knew she could trust that the other two would prevent anything terrible from happening. With so many people involved in the match, Baron Corbin wasn't likely to pull anything. People would smell bullshit from a mile away if he did...

"Nikki, we'll need you at the guerilla in five," one of the stagehands had popped his head into the room, clipboard tucked under his arm. He muttered something into his headset, scurrying away. Chara guessed he was on his way to look for Carmella.

"Oh! My match is up already!" Nikki jumped up, her face tightening in a nervous clench. She stood on her toes to give John a quick kiss.

"You'll be great, Nicole," John smiled, wrapping a huge, muscled arm around her.

"You will be, too!" she responded brightly. "I'll meet you here after your match. Gotta give Brie a call as soon as I'm done!" she called out the last bit, as she was pretty much out the door by now.

"You guys are serious goals," Chara sighed, looking at where Nikki was just standing.

John laughed. "It took a long time for us to get to where we are, and it's not perfect. If I'm completely honest, looking at you and AJ here... _you_ guys are 'goals'," he mocked, teasing her lightly.

* * *

 _ **The Elimination Chamber: Dolph Ziggler vs. John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt vs. AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Baron Corbin; for the WWE Championship**_

"Did you see that, Byron? Baron Corbin just eliminated John Cena!" Corey Graves said excitedly.

"Of course I saw it, I'm sitting right here, Corey," Byron responded.

"Come on, Byron. Everyone knows you're so broke, you can't even pay attention," Corey shot back.

"Now we're down to the final three. Baron Corbin sure is looking impressive tonight. He took out both Randy Orton and John Cena, both very seasoned talent with the WWE," Michael Cole butt in, ignoring the banter between the other two men.

"Let's be honest, if it weren't for Dean Ambrose trying to pull some dumb stunts, he'd still be in the match," Byron stated, reminding the viewers that Dean Ambrose decided to jump off from the top of his chamber rather than pin Randy Orton. Of course, Orton hit him with an RKO "outta nowhere" in what was christened a "holy shit" moment to the fans.

"Ambrose should know better than to play with fire against the Viper," Cole pointed out. "The snake always knows when trouble is near!"

"Speaking of snakes, Corbin is using the door of one of the chamber pods as a weapon!" Corey Graves piped up. "You've got to admit, this guy is remarkable!" Indeed, Baron was using the clear door of the pod destructively. He had one foot on AJ Styles' back, pinning him to the mat. Using full force, he repeatedly slammed his hand into the door, AJ selling the pain like a pro. Bray was currently slumped in the corner, the referee questioning whether or not he could continue in the match.

"Looks like Bray Wyatt may be unable to compete," Byron stated the obvious, a medical examiner being allowed entry into the chamber by the timekeeper.

"I'm surprised his leg didn't fall off, to be honest," Corey replied. "He suffered a Calf Crusher _and_ Cena's STFU back to back. It's a wonder how he'll even make it to the back."

"Bray can't even work his voodoo magic tonight," Michael Cole agreed. "No member of the Wyatt Family is going to be able to get into the chamber. Even the medics needed to provide a valid photo ID before they'd unchain the door!"

"Things are really beginning to look bad for both AJ and Bray," Byron said lamely. He was trying, despite the lack of enthusiasm he seemed to be putting into it.

"Great! It's about time we have a real champion around here," Corey Graves continued to praise Corbin.

The medic was in one corner, still trying to get Bray off his feet. Bray wouldn't move. Although his head was still tilted downward, he was obviously still communicating. The medic shrugged, looking at the timekeeper. He said something inaudible, slipping out of the ring. The cameraman caught him saying something about how he "shouldn't compete, but he won't get up."

"Probably because he _can't_ get up," Michael Cole huffed. "Come on, he's clearly unable to continue. Get that dirty hobo out of the ring!"

In a quick change of events, Baron Corbin was setting AJ up for a Deep Six. It looked like AJ was just about to counter it, but Baron's strength was no match for the Phenomenal One. With unbelievable force, AJ's body crashed to the canvas. Corey Graves was now standing, excited that the Lone Wolf was about to cover the champion. With Bray in the terrible condition he was in, this match was in the bag.

"Baron Corbin's going for the cover!" Michael Cole yelled.

But before the two-count, the lights went out.

Instantly, the fans began to react. LCD lights appeared all throughout the arena, people paying homage to Bray Wyatt and his Family. Something big was about to go down, and something odd. And usually, when it was something odd, you could count on Bray Wyatt.

"Did someone forget to pay the electric bill around here?" Corey Graves muttered. "Baron Corbin pretty much had this won!"

But then, the lights of the pods began to flicker. It looked like there was going to be another one opening. The only problem was, all of them had been empty. Everyone that belonged in the match had already been involved.

"Come on! Shane McMahon needs to get control over this situation. Nobody else is scheduled to be out here tonight. There aren't any more pods. Something is obviously wrong with the control room!" Corey Graves was really playing up the frantic tone in his voice now.

And just as quickly as the pods began to light up, it settled on the one that Bray had initially been in. The top glowed, and slowly, the lights began to turn back on.

Perfectly timed whispers began filling the arena. They were growing louder with every moment the lights came back into focus. When a familiar figure stood in the pod, waiting with hands in the air, the fans roared excitedly.

Sister Abigail slowly walked out of the pod, lowering her hands as she made her way through the doors. Baron Corbin stood, looking at her. He was completely stunned. She whipped the hood of her cloak down, her bushy blonde hair revealing her identity to the WWE Universe. Now, the crowd went crazy.

 _"Abby's gonna get you...Abby's gonna get you..."_

"You've got to be kidding me! Sister Abigail was taken out weeks ago at the hands of Baron Corbin!" Corey Graves ranted.

"Clearly, Abby's looking for revenge on him," said Byron.

Abigail pointed a gloved finger at Baron Corbin, a wicked smile playing on her lips. Her blackened eyes looked purely evil. Slowly, she made a quick slice toward her throat.

"She's threatening our Champion! She can't do that!" Corey went on.

"He's not the champ yet, Corey," Michael Cole reminded him. "And technically, she hasn't done anything wrong..."

As if he was shot with a needle full of energy, Bray Wyatt was now heading towards Baron Corbin backwards, in his creepy spider-walk. Baron looked at Bray in one corner, then back at Abigail, and then down at AJ Styles. Abigail gave a happy laugh, clapping her hands together with glee.

He made a grab at her, and panic crossed her face. But Bray was too quick. He'd caught Baron Corbin off-guard, quickly putting him into his own Sister Abigail finishing move. With a quick kiss and a turn, Bray Wyatt cleanly pinned Baron Corbin.

"This is a robbery if I've ever seen one," Corey Graves said glumly. Baron Corbin was locked out of the chamber, but he wasn't going to go away unnoticed. He'd started destroying the set, smashing his foot through the titantron screen in anguish. He'd torn apart all of the announce tables, the pre-show panel, and parts of the barricade.

In the meantime, Bray Wyatt was on his knees, a grateful smile taking over his face. His arms were held open wide.

"Oh, Abby, I knew you'd come!" he'd yelled. And, in a swift motion, Abigail swept towards him, placing a kiss on his forehead. She turned to AJ, pointing at him.

Bray Wyatt nodded once. When he stood, though, his legs wobbled. He cried out in pain.

"Funny, he wasn't in any pain when he finished off Corbin," Corey noticed grumpily.

Abigail bent down, now at her knees. She placed both hands on his injured legs, her head bowed down theatrically. AJ was starting to stir.

She got up first, holding her hands out for Bray to grab on to. He did, and he slowly got up. They stood together like that for a moment in the center of the ring, with fans and journalists snapping photos like crazy. Flashes were going off in every direction. It was a perfect reunion for the Brother and Sister.

Now, AJ was almost to his feet. Abigail and Bray each turned to face him. They turned once more back to each other. Abby gave him a nod.

Bray headed towards AJ, and Abigail stepped to the outside of the ring. AJ must've sensed the danger, because he hit the mat quickly, sliding right through Bray Wyatt's legs. Bray turned around clumsily, trying to grasp the champion. AJ was much more limber, hitting him with a series of kicks to the sides. Abigail banged her fists against the ring apron, crying out in disbelief.

The crowd was loud, and their chants picked back up. They were fairly evenly split between who they were cheering for, but no matter who won, the match had not disappointed.

Bray was slowing down once again, his momentum at a low. AJ clearly had seen this as an opportunity, climbing over the top rope to hit him with a Phenomenal Forearm.

Throwing her cloak off, Sister Abigail once again stood in the center of the ring, holding her hand out in a stopping motion as she stood over her brother. Her expression was stone cold, and it was almost like AJ Styles had been halted in his tracks.

"What kind of black magic is this? AJ Styles seems to be paralyzed!" Michael Cole stated, clutching his script in his hand.

"That's the kind of folks Bray Wyatt runs with," Byron said next.

AJ slowly climbed back into the ring, forgetting that he was about to spring off from the ropes to take the win. Instead, he now stood face-to-face with Sister Abigail. He was transfixed on her.

Abigail stepped forward, kissing AJ's cheek, before tripping him. Facedown on the mat, she put him into his own finishing maneuver, laughing maniacally as he fell victim to his very own Calf Crusher. AJ yelped out in pain, and Bray Wyatt now crouched in front of the champion, laughing at him.

 _"Abby's gonna get you...Abby's gonna get you..."_ the crowd kept it up.

"Come on, what happened to the referee?" Corey Graves complained. "This is getting out of control!"

Indeed, the referee was nowhere to be found. But the cameraman showed that the referee was actually slumped in one of the pods, locked inside. They showed the image on the titantron, and the crowd roared over that, too.

"Well, a lot of good that witchcraft is going to do. If there's not a referee, Bray Wyatt can't win this match, either!" Michael Cole jeered.

And, as if he'd said the magic words, the lights went out.

The lights came on just seconds later, and the referee was no longer in the pod. He looked shaken and confused. And instead of Sister Abigail performing the Calf Crusher, Bray Wyatt was in her place. It was like she was never there at all.

But AJ Styles wasn't about to submit to his own finisher. Instead, Bray stood him up, finishing him off with a kiss and a flip to the mat.

"One!"

"Two!"

"Three!"

The bell chimed, and the match was over. Bray Wyatt fell to his knees, clutching the prized belt as soon as the referee had handed it to him. If one looked close enough, there may have even been tears in the corners of his eyes.

"Here is your winner, and the NEW WWE Champion...Bray Wyatt!" Jojo announced proudly. The arena's noise level was at an all-time high, with people yelling about Sister Abigail up in the back, some yelling "bullshit" and some cheering on the man that had clawed his way to the top. Sure, he had a little help. But with great booking, storytelling, and character development, it was undeniable.

 _"You deserve it! You deserve it! You deserve it!"_ the chants started out slowly, but eventually, the entire arena was on board. Bray Wyatt proudly held the belt above his head as AJ Styles made his way to the back. Luckily, the ramp had gone black and the cameras solely focused on Bray Wyatt. If they'd caught the Phenomenal One on camera, the entire Universe would've seen him smiling from ear to ear.

"You _do_ deserve it," AJ said to himself, trying his damnedest to hide his smirk.

* * *

 ** _Following the show..._**

"See! I told you that you'd be great. And you were!" Nikki Bella gave Chara a huge hug. She stepped back, giving her a once-over. "This is exactly what our women's revolution is all about. I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you," Chara replied, unable to hide the complete happiness from her voice. The entire Smackdown Live roster was lingering in a banquet hall, everyone paired off and chatting over champagne. Triple H had sent out a mass announcement early in the show, letting all the Superstars know to meet at the hall following the event. Chara suspected it was because the ratings for the pay-per-view, even early in the show, had skyrocketed. It was higher than any other pay-per-view that year, except for WrestleMania.

It wasn't unusual for WWE to be trending number one worldwide on Twitter. However, Sister Abigail, Bray Wyatt, Wyatt Family, And New, were all in close contention. Every top Twitter trend was WWE-related, and it stifled everything else going on in the world. The fan support was unbelievable.

"I've gotta admit, when I first heard about you, I didn't know what to think," Nikki admitted sheepishly. "I mean, I knew what Bryan told me. And about all the drama with Sami and AJ. But I can also see that you're a great worker and friend. Seriously, we're really lucky to have you," Nikki gave her a bright, red-lipped smile. It seemed sincere.

"I'm happy to have met you," Chara responded truthfully. "But, I'm still not going to do Total Divas," she waved her pointer finger knowingly. Nikki laughed, shaking her head.

"No, I get it," she smiled. "I mean, your real-life drama would have definitely added some interest. Plus, AJ's like, the hottest thing on the planet right now. That would've been awesome for the show. But with the role you're playing, I can see how it couldn't work."

"Hey, Nicole, why don't you let AJ have a minute with his girl?" John Cena and AJ strode over. Chara's breath caught in her throat. AJ wore jeans and a crisp, white linen shirt. His hair was pulled back into a low ponytail.

Nikki looked from John to AJ, gave a wink at Chara, and joined John.

"You look..." Chara started, her cheeks reddening as she spoke.

"You were incredible tonight," AJ beat her to the punch. "Remember when I told you, all those years ago, that you work stiff? Well, you sure proved me wrong. You put every emotion possible into everything you do."

"I was trained by the best," Chara replied. "Almost beat you with your own move tonight."

"Yes, well, the 'best', as you say, trained you how to do that, too," AJ reminded her, his eyes lingering on hers. It was true, of course; after she was cleared for in-ring action, AJ had gotten back to training with her. She'd begged him to show her the precise way to execute that move, and she'd mastered it quickly, not allowing herself to fail. Hunter and Road Dogg had agreed to finish the match with it, happy that they'd come up with their own ideas as far as creative went.

Suddenly, the room broke out in applause. AJ and Chara turned, both smiling warmly as the new Champion and Jojo emerged into the room. They joined in on the applause. She'd never been more proud of someone's accomplishments than she was in that moment. Bray gave a small little bow, thanking some of the people nearby. Chara caught Stephanie McMahon's eye up near the front of the room, and the boss lady gave her a tiny wink.

"Thank you, thank you," Bray's voice boomed, his voice breaking slightly. "But, I just want to point out the fact that I couldn't have done this without my very own Sister Abigail. Chara, come on up and take a bow!" Bray motioned for her to come forward, and AJ gave her a small shove. Her cheeks bright red, she gave Bray a giant hug.

"I love you, Brother Bray," she muttered. "Also, fuck you for calling me out in front of a million people."

Bray laughed, still fully engaged in her hug. "Seriously, though. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be floundering in the mid-card. I owe this to you. I don't think anyone else could have pulled off this character as well as you have. Thank you for everything."

They broke apart, and Chara forced back tears. She gave a wimpy bow, but then grabbed Bray's hand once more, holding it high. Their colleagues cheered for them, and her smile grew larger. She spotted Erick and Luke in the crowd, and motioned for them to come forward, too. They headed towards Bray hastily. She took that as the opportunity to escape the spotlight, allowing for the original Wyatt Family to bask in their glory. She was much more comfortable in the background, cuddled up with AJ.

"I'm interested to see where the creative team goes with that story," Chara murmured to AJ. "Hopefully, the Wyatt Family stays on top for awhile."

"I'm sure they will," AJ admitted. "It seems logical, anyways. Besides, I like it when the Wyatt Family is on top."

Chara stepped back, arching her eyebrow at him. "Do you, now? Because that's a little bit...too much information." She wasn't sure if he was being sexual or not. But, as usual, she aimed to make everyone uncomfortable. She enjoyed turning the tables like that.

AJ laughed. "Ok, I like it when a _particular_ member is on top," he admitted. Chara backhanded him in response, but she was weightlessly happy. There was a small twinge in her stomach, and part of her wanted to drag AJ straight back to their hotel room and forget about the banquet altogether.

"Save it for later," Chara stuck her tongue out at him. "Let's just enjoy the night. The night is still young, after all."

"That it is," AJ smirked, grabbing two flutes of champagne from a nearby tray. "A toast?" he handed one of the flutes to Chara.

"To what?" Chara wrinkled her nose. She wasn't particularly fond of champagne, but for the right occasion, she could suffer through.

"To everything. To the right now, to the past, to the future," he held his drink in the air. "And for the girl," he said a little loudly. Loud enough to gain attention from some of the people nearby. "A toast for the girl that changed everything. She changed my life a long time ago, but I didn't see it because I was too focused on making it big. A toast for the second chance we've finally gotten. A toast for her coming back into my life, reminding me that I was wrong, too. Chara, I love you. I want you in my life forever, because I don't think I could go back to living it without you."

"Awww," Nikki Bella crooned nearby. "I'll drink to that!"

Chara, though, seemingly forgot that she was in a room full of friends, colleagues, and bosses. Or maybe she didn't forget; but didn't really care. She kissed him with full-force, allowing her mouth to find his, exploring it with her tongue. It was a familiar feeling, yet everything about it was different.

They broke apart, ignoring the eyes that they'd gotten the attention of.

"So," AJ smiled, tucking her blondeish-blackish-purple hair behind her ear as he normally did. "Where do we go from here?"

Between kisses, Chara smiled, allowing her nose to graze his. "That," she kissed him once, "is a story for another day."

* * *

 _ **The End.**_

* * *

 _ **WE MADE IT. Alright, guys! Do we want to read more about Chara/AJ/Sami? Do we want to do more about their past? Future? Otherwise, I've got other ideas. Additionally, I HAVE to finish Yours to Hold (AJ/Seth). Follow me as a writer on here, because I do have plans to continue. The amount of support I've had through this is unreal.**_

 _ **I love you all! Thank you, ZVArmy, for everything. I owe this to you.**_


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